Finding His Queen
by aphshan31
Summary: Alfred, the Prince of Spades, has come of age and needs to find his Queen. As his parents hold a ball to celebrate his coming of age, and find the new Queen of Spades, a certain green-eyed male catches the Prince's eye. Cardverse AU / may be occasional swears / may include mild mpreg (purely for story purpose)
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue: Duty of a Prince**

The skies over the Spade Kingdom were marbled with blue, white and purple, which merged together to form the first sunrise of winter. A few bluebirds departed from their nests and their wings fluttered as they began to fly over the land.

Spade Kingdom was one of the richest Kingdoms in the whole land; prospering in trade to the other Kingdoms.

Within the land of Hetalia, there resided four Kingdoms: Spades, Clubs, Diamonds and Hearts. The Spade Kingdom was prosperous in its fortune from trade with the other Kingdoms as well as producing many special luxuries: perfumes, clothes and jewellery. Club Kingdom was prosperous in agriculture, particularly in producing wheat and grain to be sold to each Kingdom. Diamond Kingdom earned her fortune from the creation of many different luxuries, she was known as the Kingdom of love and passion. Finally, the Heart Kingdom became prosperous as of their national efficiency; the Kingdom's employment rates were the highest in all the land and therefore brought in a lot of money to the Kingdom.

Each was led by a King, Queen and a Jack. The heir to the throne was born with a mark on either the back of their hand or along their chest, dependent on the role that they were to take in the monarchy. The King, usually born into the royal family, held the royal crest of the Kingdom along their chest; the child born to be King could only be male, as it was seen that women were weak in times of conflict or famine. The Queen, usually married into the royal family from aristocracy, held the crest on the back of their hand, they could be of either gender but were generally female. Finally, the Jack is born with the crest on their left shoulder; they could be of either gender as well, but the current Jacks of each Kingdom were all born male.

When the heir to the throne had been born; they needed to find a King or Queen, depending on which crest they were born with. Some born with the crest were not part of the monarchy or the upper classes, some were simply part of the working class, even the families who were below the poverty line.

On the fourth of July, four years previous, a young Prince was born to the King and Queen of Spade Kingdom. A sweet young boy with bright sapphire eyes and golden blond locks; a bubbly, hyperactive personality and a dedication to his parents. The Queen, Amelia, and her husband, King George, named their new born infant Alfred F Jones.

"Mama! Papa! Look, it's the sunrise," The youthful boy hopped onto his parents' bed, trying to wake them up as the sun rose. The small bundle of joy giggled with delight as his father stirred from his sleep.

"Alfred…your mother came back from business very late last night, try and not wake her alright?" The older male spoke, rubbing the sleep out of his deep blue eyes as he spoke to his young child.

"Ah okay…I'm sorry Papa…" Alfred frowned and got up on his hands and knees to sit on his father's stomach. "Hey, Papa, when could we possibly go out riding? I really want to learn how!"

"My boy, you're much too young to start learning to ride yet, you cannot until you are around seven or eight. I do apologise," George ruffled his son's hair playfully, "Though I am proud of your eagerness to learn to ride. You will become a bright and strong young man one day."

That first day of winter for the boy passed by quickly, he and his father simply spoke about the exciting new things Alfred would be able to do when he got older, until his mother woke up. They went to play together as a family unit. Although the King and Queen were delighted to have a male heir, that wasn't the most important thing to them. They had had a child together, a Prince who would soon control their Kingdom.

The main thing that the Prince's parents considered was that when their son came of age, he would simply have to fulfil the duty of a prince.

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Apologies that this prologue is pretty short. But it's basically just setting the scene for the story to come; introducing you to the background and characters. Arthur will be introduced in the next chapter all you USUK fans!

I've got a lot of different Hetalia stories going, each of them contain USUK (my OTP! 3), so I hope to upload those at some point too!

As for updates, I'll try and update this story weekly: every Monday at 10pm GMT. But if there are delays I do apologise!

Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One: A Fateful Meeting

"Master, stay still!" The Prince's personal maid, Elizabeth, squeaked as she tried to dress the male appropriately.

"Why do I have to wear this stuffy outfit?" The Prince, now nineteen years of age, grumbled, trying to loosen the dark blue waistcoat that was crushing his stomach. "It's a dance, right? How the heck am I supposed to dance in something like this?"

The withered old maid sighed softly and held her master's robe, "You will only be dancing with those you find attractive. You have come of age and now it is time to find your Queen."

Alfred let out a loud groan of discomfort and annoyance; that was all he ever heard anymore: 'you have come of age this…you have come of age that'. Honestly, he didn't really care about who he married, especially since the male had no attraction to women in any way. Alfred wanted to find someone of course, but he wanted to marry for love, not duty.

"Ah Alfie! You look wonderful my darling!" A sing song voice emanated from the door to his room. The Prince turned his gaze to the voice to see his mother standing there, in her indigo dress which was made up of an indigo corset with a white lacy trim, and a long flowing skirt, her deep purple robe was held by a small silver clasp over her shoulders as it trailed behind her, the Crest of the Spade Kingdom on the back of her hand was on full show. The older woman's bright blond hair was tied back in a neat bun, with a diamond-encrusted tiara on her head; the sparkle bringing out her sky blue eyes.

"Mother! You look wonderful too! Even better than me if I do say so myself," Alfred laughed heartily, a bright smile forming on his lips. Amelia stepped forward and assisted Elizabeth into fastening the male's cloak over his shoulders; it was only simple compared to his father's, but in all fairness, it was summer and Alfred did not really want to wear something like that in the warm weather.

"There! Perfect! You shall meet some lovely young maidens tonight my dear," Amelia smiled, dusting down the front of Alfred's clothes, brushing the creases out of them, "I'm sure that you shall be able to find someone you admire at the ball!"

"Especially since the born Queen has not been found. Alfred, you need to make tonight count. Go out there and greet those ladies with all the passion you can muster, but be civil and polite; remember your status." A deeper voice echoed through the room as Alfred's father stepped in as well. "Make me proud tonight alright?"

Alfred nodded definitively to his father, although on the inside…he really did not want to find anyone tonight. The Prince wanted some more time to himself for now, so he can ride, go hunting, to explore the world he lived in. His ability to do that would be severely stagnated if he married now at only nineteen! The blond royal sighed softly to himself as he looked at himself in the mirror; he was done up like a proper Prince, but he didn't feel like one, he did not understand why he didn't either. That's just how he felt.

"Pardon me your Majesties, but the guests are ready for you in the main hall." The Jack of Spades, Wang Yao, spoke from the door, his arms by his side in an authoritative stance. The Chinese male was old, even older than the Queen and King themselves; this was his third line of royals to have the privilege of being the Jack for. With long dark hair tied back into a ponytail with a silky ribbon and hazel irises, he really did not show his age; but still, rumour has it that he is one of the oldest Jacks ever to live, at over four hundred years old. Of course, that would be impossible, but still he was wise and understood the duties of his role within the monarchy to a tee, always providing those he served with the correct words and directions.

"Yes, of course! Thank you, Yao~!" Amelia cheered, linking her arm with her husband's; the elder male gazed down to his wife and he sighed in mock exasperation, a smile on his face. "Alfie, come along dear."

"You got it. See ya' later Elizabeth, and thanks for all your help," Alfred nodded his head to the maid; a gracious smile on his lips. The addressed woman curtsied to her master and responded with best wishes for the Ball.

Wang led the royal family downstairs to the hall; he entered the ballroom and stood to the left of the thrones.

A flourish of trumpets sounded in a fanfare, as the Jack introduced the King and Queen, then finally Alfred. The crowd cheered and applauded once all the royals were seated in their respective places.

"As you all may know, tonight is the night that Prince Alfred should choose his Queen! Unfortunately, the born Queen has not been discovered, so tonight is very important to the monarchy of Spades! Please provide our young Prince with the prayers he may need to discover his true love," the Chinese male called out to the busy room. Soon after he had finished speaking, the chamber orchestra began to play and the party began; couples joining together to begin dancing.

A couple of songs later and Alfred had not gotten up even once. He simply sat in his throne, leaning his head on his hand; a scowl on his face, his eyes narrowed in boredom.

"Come on Alfie, go out and ask a lovely young lady to accompany you in a dance," The Queen addressed her son; although she understood the possibility of the Queen being potentially male, she did not particularly agree.

"Mother. They're all…so exaggerated, and fake! Look at that girl's hair!" Alfred grunted in disapproval, pulling a disgusted face.

"Do not speak so loudly, and do not judge anyone!" Amelia hissed sharply, folding her arms on her lap.

The Prince sighed heavily and adjusted the silver framed glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose. His eyes slowly scanned the room, bypassing almost everyone in the room…until his sapphire gaze focused on a particularly handsome man, he seemed a little older than the Prince. Alfred's head perked up and he watched the male carefully, he had dusky blond hair that seemed to be extremely messy. Unfortunately, this man was facing away from the young Prince and he could not see his face; so, Alfred had to do what he had to do.

"Alfred?" George questioned as his son rose from his throne, "Have you found someone?"

However, the blue eyed boy did not answer, and simply walked away from his parents down into the dancefloor. The crowds parted as he headed towards the male; all eyes then focused on the Prince as he made his way toward to the other. As soon as he was close enough to the male, he cleared his throat to attract his attention.

The messy blond turned to face him, revealing bright emerald irises, bushy eyebrows and pale unblemished skin. "Your majesty?!" The older male fell to one knee, his right hand resting on his heart, his head bowed as he looked to the stone floor.

"Lift your head," Alfred spoke softly, and so the male did just that, raising his head so his green gaze met the Prince's blue. "What is your name?"

"I… I'm Arthur. Arthur Kirkland, my Lord." The male spoke, his voice emanating from his throat with a distinct English accent, and trembled. Alfred gazed at Arthur and his clothing: it was simple, yet comfortable. A plain white dress shirt, a green waistcoat with black buttons, black trousers and matching blazer. Although it was simplistic, they suited Arthur perfectly.

"Arthur…" Alfred like the way the other's name rolled off his tongue, "What a pretty name… And you have a wonderful accent," The Prince knelt so his gaze was level with Arthur's, and he raised his hand to rest on the blond's left cheek, but the new male flinched at the touch and looked away, a soft pink blush rising to his pale cheeks.

"You flatter me, Your Majesty…" Arthur stammered, clearly flustered. The Englishman fiddled with his blond strands, his hands shaking evidently. The Prince of Spades noticed the other's nerves and carefully took his hand into his own and kissed the back of it, before letting go.

The emerald-eyed male blushed brightly at the kiss and held his hand close to his chest, a tiny pout formed on his lips as he averted his gaze. He was embarrassed, yet honoured, that the Prince had chosen him out of everyone in the room. There were so many beautiful young maidens here… so why did the Crown Prince pick him?

"Arthur, may I have the privilege of your hand in a dance?" The blue eyed boy grinned brightly, offering his hand, once more, to the shocked and flushed green eyed male.

Amelia and George watched their son carefully, his father relieved that Alfred had finally chosen someone, but his mother was not so happy; she could not accept that her only son was… one of _them_.

The English male glanced up at the American Prince and flushed softly, swallowed and placed his hand daintily into the outstretched hand. "Y-Yes…" His voice had become soft, almost a whisper as he got up with assistance from the Prince.

Elizabeth stood off to the side of the ballroom and watched her young master get up, his hand entwined with another male's. Her delicate features brightened to form a smile. "Congratulations Prince Alfred…I'm sure this young man will make you very happy."

So, after what seemed to be an uneventful night, Alfred had finally chosen someone to dance with; a simple boy by the name of Arthur Kirkland. Their eyes met as they made their way to the middle of the dancefloor; one set of sapphire blue, the other emerald green. It truly was a fateful meeting.

 _ **Author's note:**_

Elizabeth is a common OC that I use in all my Cardverse RP's with friends; I needed a name for a maid of the castle and she just stuck! She's probably one of my favourite OC's that I've created for RP and story purposes.

Yes, Amelia isn't happy with this. I had to add a little drama. Things will get a little heated in the next chapter.

Also, as a follow up to the prologue; Amelia got her name from Nyotalia!America; it's the name I typically use for this character (Alfred's mother); then the King got his name after the first American President: George Washington – makes sense right?

Also, excuse OOC Arthur. I like making him sweet at times – though he will be his true self at some point in the future I promise; once he gets more comfortable around Alfred. But also, another reason will be evident soon.

Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two: Together

Alfred led his chosen one to the middle of the dancefloor, turning to face him.

"Have you ever done any ballroom dancing before?" He questioned the shorter male.

"I-I have… but only once or twice, I'm not all that familiar with it." Arthur flushed and cleared his throat, keeping his gaze away from that of the Prince's.

"Well, don't worry. I'll be here to help ya' through it, okay?" The sandy blond grinned brightly, resting his left hand on the bottom of Arthur's back and taking his other hand into his own right hand. Arthur responded by placing his free hand upon Alfred's shoulder; although he was cautious of all the people looking at him. "Don't be frightened. I'll protect you." Alfred murmured softly, sensing the other's unease as they readied their stances for the dance.

The Prince then gazed to the orchestra and nodded softly. The conductor bowed to him, before turning to the instrumentalists and leading them into playing a beautiful waltz.

Alfred took the lead of the dance almost instantly, stepping to the side with Arthur following behind him. The blond Briton looked down, his eyes constantly watching their feet as they stepped in time with the music. The Prince sighed softly and removed his right hand from Arthur's; before cupping it under his chin, his thumb grazing over the soft skin. "Why won't you look at me?" He frowned pitifully; clearly doing this to tease the poor Englishman.

"Ah! I-I do apologise...!" Arthur shut his eyes tightly and muttered a thousand apologies. The Prince just started to laugh, so he hesitantly opened his eyes again, gazing up at the man above him with flushed cheeks and a small shimmer in his eyes.

"I'm only kidding, though I would like to look at you. You're very beautiful," Alfred cooed softly, causing the Briton to flush even brighter, and turn his face away. "Aww, please let me see your face. I want to see your responses to my compliments."

The emerald-eyed male glanced up at those sapphire orbs concealed behind thin sheets of glass. "I…I am flattered, Your Majesty…" A dainty smile formed on his lips and his eyes sparkled. "But, truthfully, _you_ are the one who is most beautiful of the two of us." Arthur whispered, a small pout on his lips, and his cheeks flushing a brighter red than ever before.

Alfred, surprised by the compliment, blushed softly, "Well, thank you." His sapphire irises began to sparkle as well and his heart began to race. "May I…um…?"

Arthur looked up to the Prince expectantly as he heard his voice, "Hm? May you...?"

The Prince stopped their movements, removing his hand once again from Arthur's and bringing it to the other's cheek, his thumb gently grazed over his warm flesh. "May I…k-kiss you?" Alfred, immediately after saying the words which had left his lips, turned his face away in fright.

Queen Amelia watched in fear for her son as his cheeks flushed brightly, worried that the boy he was dancing with had cursed him in some way, making him fall in love with him; she knew that her son, her only child, would not be one of those vile _creatures_.

Arthur's face turned beet red at the Prince's question, "K-Kiss, Your Majesty?" His emerald irises shimmered with fear, yet a sense of devotion and love could be found within them, his heart racing at a million miles an hour. "I…I suppose I cannot really argue with you Sire. You may do with me as you please."

"I don't want to force it upon you…It's your choice, and your choice alone. If you do not wish to, then we do not have to," Alfred smiled awkwardly, the red on his cheeks spreading to his ears.

The Briton gazed up at the American Prince and bit his lip in thought, "Prince Alfred…I…" He stammered, his voice shaking and insecure as he considered what he was about to say next. "I want you to kiss me...~"

The Prince's sapphire irises sparkled with joy; he had found someone, finally! Alfred could feel his heart fluttering in his chest, beating so fast that it could simply burst from his ribcage. He cupped the male's chin gently between his fingertips and leant in slowly. Arthur responded, by moving the hand he had placed on the Prince's shoulder, to the side of his neck, the soft cloth of his gloves creating a smooth sensation against the sun-kissed skin.

The crowd watched the moment in awe, many were smiling and getting ready to applaud for the new couple.

Alfred and Arthur softly pressed their lips together in a delicate kiss; both of their shivering seized and their heartbeats stopped momentarily. When their lips connected, it seemed as if the whole world had stopped around them. Pure love was all the two males experienced as they embraced one another gently in their kiss.

They pulled away from one another, both males' eyes half-lidded in romance, their irises were hazy and they smiled in unison to one another.

"I have found the one for me…" Alfred whispered softly, pressing his forehead to Arthur's, running his fingers through the sandy blond locks. Arthur's smile grew in response, the blush on his cheeks darkening to a pure rose.

"As have I, My Lord," the Englishman whispered; his words caused the Prince to shiver slightly. Arthur pulled back from the embrace slightly to press a kiss to his love's cheek, before placing his gloved hand on the warm skin. "I'll always be beside you…Alfred. Until it is the day for me to die."

"Arthur…" The Spade Prince scooped the male into his arms and held him tightly to his chest, the Briton responded by resting his hands on his shoulder blades, tracing his fingertips over the slightly defined muscles there.

"People of Spade Kingdom! Our young Prince has found his true love and Queen!" Wang Yao called out and the people applauded for the two blonds as they embraced once more. "We shall organise the wedding post haste!"

"NO! Stop!" Amelia screeched at the top of her lungs; she rose from her throne and stormed towards her only baby boy. "Alfred, I-I was unaware that-that… you _swung_ this way?!"

The people were disgusted at the Queen's tone of voice; protests against her rang throughout the ballroom. Many people pointed out that the Heart Kingdom had a male Queen. This was true, a Japanese male, by the name of Kiku Honda, was indeed the Queen of Hearts.

"Mother stop! You're causing a scene!" Alfred turned to meet his mother's infuriated figure, stepping in front of Arthur, holding his hand to protect him. "So what if I wish for Arthur to accompany me as my Queen?! _You_ were only a _peasant girl_ before my father met you in the village squa-!"

"ENOUGH OF THIS INSOLENCE! I will NOT have my only son marry another male! It is wrong and immoral! This action is not to be seen in the Kingdom of Spades; not now and not ever!" Amelia screamed in anger, but her cries were cut short as she fell to her knees, gripping her chest; deep breaths escaping from her lips.

Alfred, despite his temper, ran to his mother's side and knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. A panicked look glossed over his sapphire irises, as he looked up at his father in desperation; only to see King George dashing towards them at high speed, succumbing to his knees beside his wife.

Words of comfort and peace were whispered by the King to the Queen's ear. Soon, George stood up and turned his gaze to Alfred; "Keep the people calm, your mother just had a momentary panic attack. I'll take her out of here to rest. She may return towards the end of the evening but I'm not entirely sure. You need to fulfil your duty Alfred. Protect the people…protect your new Queen." His gaze briefly met with Arthur's, who bowed his head in fear and worry for the Queen, but also shame.

Alfred's eyes widened as his father uttered those final words… he accepted a male Queen? Nodding his head in determination, he knew he had to focus on the current task at hand, he got up and turned to address the people; who luckily kept their distance from the suffocating Amelia.

"People of Spades! I regret to tell you that my mother, Queen Amelia, must rest for a short while and therefore must exit the dance. She hopes to return by the end of the night, but if she does not, please carry her in your thoughts and prayers until she recovers from this." Alfred looked back over his shoulder, to see his father and Elizabeth assisting his mother out of the ballroom to her chamber. Guilt washed over him and he frowned deeply. This was his fault. His mother had lost control and lost her breath…because of him.

The music and dancing gradually resumed, lifting the tense atmosphere piece by piece. Alfred, however, felt like he was the one now being suffocated. Glancing out to the sea of people, his sapphire gaze could only focus of the dusky blond head of hair and emerald eyes of Arthur; a small smile graced his lips, but it was soon replaced with a frown. Glittering beads of tears filled the corners of Alfred's eyes.

The young Prince advanced to his Jack, "Wang Yao… can you keep things under control here? I just need a moment to clear my head."

"Of course, Your Highness. Take as long as you need, but return to us soon. I shall pass the message on to the people when need be." Wang Yao bowed graciously before his Prince. Alfred lowered his head for a moment, before walking away.

A pair of emerald irises flicked over and followed the Prince's retreating back. Sadness swept over Arthur; despite only having just met Alfred, he felt a deep connection with him already. Their kiss felt so natural, as if it was meant to be. Arthur could still taste Alfred's sweetness on his bottom lip.

Arthur excused himself from his family unit and followed the Spade Prince. The Englishman was afraid that he would be harmed for exploring the castle unaccompanied; especially since he was not from any of the four Kingdoms.

Alfred was seated on the marble railing of the balcony that overlooked the Kingdom that would, one day, be his. Every detail could be noticed by the Prince: the clusters of villages, each with their own unique name, every piece of owned land and the Enchanted Forest. His mother used to tell him tales of faeries and elves that resided in those trees; all they wanted to do was play with the young Spadian children during the day, never wanting to harm anyone. Unfortunately, after a sorcerer was discovered to have murdered the Ace of Spades, thirty years previous, magic was banned throughout Spades, in fear that a monarch would be harmed next.

Sorcerers and witches that were discovered, would be thrown into gaol until further notice. Occasionally, a trial would be held to weigh up evidence and decide whether the sorcerer or witch would be set free. However, in most cases, there was no trial… and those who were considered to be involved in the 'dark arts', even the innocent, were condemned to death by hanging, burnt at the stake or being stabbed through the chest by the Royal Executioner. Spades no longer held mercy towards those who practiced magic after the incident. They were considered untrustworthy and filthy due to their predecessor's sins.

The young Spadian Prince bowed his head, thinking back to his mother, wondering how she was doing; was she getting any better? Guilt made his heart clench and he felt like he was being strangled by his sin. To argue with his mother was trouble enough, but to make her unwell was a deadly crime; especially in front of their people.

"Your mother is doing fine Alfred," a familiar voice spoke. Alfred gasped and quickly turned to face the voice, expecting to see his father there. Instead, the dusky-blond, green-eyed Englishman stood before him, peeking around the broad glass balcony door.

"What are you doing out here? It's freezing, you'll catch a chill," Alfred spoke, his eyes fixating themselves on Arthur's thin outfit.

"A little cold never bothered anyone. Especially not me," Arthur smiled and carefully advanced towards the Prince, perching beside him and gazing out at the landscape. "I can see why you came out here; the view is very magical."

Sapphire eyes focused on Arthur's delicate features, the moonlight highlighting the high points on his face; the Briton truly was a thing of beauty. His pale skin illuminated by the blue hue of the moon. The Prince's thoughts were disrupted by a thick English accent.

"My Lord? Y-You appear to be staring at me?" Arthur had turned his head to face the Prince, a blush on his cheeks as he remembered the kiss they had shared in the ballroom only a short while beforehand.

The Spadian Prince placed his hand on Arthur's, his thumb caressing the smooth cloth of his gloves; desperation to touch his skin. "You're shivering, are you cold?"

"N-No my Prince! I'm fine!" Arthur stumbled over his words; he was not cold, but he did wish to be embraced by the male standing before him. "Although… Are you alright?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" Alfred cocked an eyebrow.

"What happened to your mother... it must have been very frightening for you," he intertwined his hand with Alfred, their fingers lacing together perfectly.

Alfred focused his gaze back out to the landscape of the Kingdom that would soon be his. Of course, he was worried about his mother. He wanted her to get better very quickly or he'd be criticised for her sickness. He had enough guilt as it is, being argumentative about finding a Queen, then about his sexuality. The Spadian Prince was afraid. Afraid for his mother's health. Afraid for his pride and dignity. Afraid of losing Arthur, the man he had only just met yet he'd fallen in love with.

"Alfred? I apologise for bringing it up, do forgive me," Arthur whispered, looking down at their interlocked hands. The Prince snapped out of his daze, upset to see the emerald-eyed male like this. He frowned, reaching to brush Arthur's straw-gold hair out of his face so he could see those shining emeralds. The other turned his gaze up to meet Alfred's sapphire, but he could not admire them for long as he was captured in a kiss.

A shiver ran down Arthur's spine at the sudden kiss from the Spadian Prince, but his cheeks flushed and his heart raced as he returned the kiss.

"Thank you… for being here tonight Arthur," Alfred spoke up after breaking away from their embrace, "Thank you making my night that more special." A goofy smile rose on the Prince's face, causing Arthur to chuckle softly. "We'll be together, no matter what happens next. That's a promise!"

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

So, a bit of drama! I liked the idea that despite it being alright for both males and females to become Queen, some people would definitely still be against it. That's just similar to society; not everyone likes one thing!

I really love writing sweet scenes with USUK, with America's goofy, happy side, then England's irritable side, with a few hints of affection. That's how I write for England, since no one I've read or seen really write for England like that. Not saying that their writing is bad! Everyone has their own interpretations of these characters!

And yes, the 'magic' section of this chapter will be used again later. Those of you who understand; you probably know where this is going!

Thank you for reading! Hope you're all enjoying the story!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three: Decisions

A few weeks had passed, and the staff of Spades Castle were rushing around organising the eventual wedding between Prince Alfred and Arthur. The Jack of Spades was running between each area of the castle, checking that preparations for Arthur's Coronation as Queen were running smoothly.

Since Arthur was not of Royal Birth, he would need a Coronation to recognise his authority on the throne; such is written in Spadian Law. Alfred was the Crown Prince, so the wedding would be enough to establish his leadership as the King of Spades; recognising his power over his Kingdom and the people within it. Though Alfred intended to rule his Kingdom with advice from his Queen and Jack.

Despite the raucous in the palace and Kingdom, Alfred and Arthur simply enjoyed one another's time together. The green-eyed male had declined moving into the palace until he and Alfred were married; he was a family man and did not want to leave his mother and five siblings so soon.

After a day with the Prince in the palace, Arthur returned home, greeted with a hug from his twin siblings, Eoin and Eire. Both were brunette, Eoin had brown eyes, and Eire had olive green eyes; the two of them were the same height and had the same features.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty," they chorused as they tackled their brother in a hug; chuckling afterwards. The blond male sighed softly, returning the hug before going to greet his other family members. A blond boy, who was the picture of Arthur just with blue eyes, ran towards him and hugged him around the waist. This was Peter, around twelve years old, he was the youngest of the Kirkland family.

Arthur's elder siblings included Alistair, a fiery redhead with bright green eyes, and Dylan, blond with blue eyes. The twins were younger than Arthur by two years.

"Arthur, my dear. Welcome home," a frail woman, seemingly in her fifties, wandered into the main room where the siblings were conversing. Her blond hair faded into white in places, and her face was decorated with thin wrinkles and laugh-lines. Arthur's mother, Victoria, was a calm and loving woman. A soft smile crossed her chapped lips as she saw her son; the new Queen of Spades.

The blond stepped away from his siblings and took his mother's hand, kissing her cheek. "It's good to be home Mama." He carefully wrapped his arms around his mother, nuzzling her neck as he had done when he was a child. She returned the gesture, her wrinkled hands delicately laid against her son's back. "I ensure that you're all doing well for the moment?"

"We're doing just fine, love. Alistair and Dylan are doing a wonderful job keeping the produce up to your father's heavenly stature. God rest his soul." A small hint of sadness tugged at Victoria's voice as she remembered her husband, Richard Kirkland. He had died three years previous; he was sick and simply could not get better. At the time, the Kirklands were struggling for money due to a poor summer; their crops had faltered, meaning they had little to sell at the market.

Arthur placed a hand on his mother's shoulder, "Everything will be fine, Mama. Once the Prince and I are married, I'll try and persuade him and the Jack to let you move closer to the castle, to provide you with the support you all need!" His emerald eyes sparkled; endearment for his mother and family evident in his voice.

The woman chuckled lightly, "I'm sure you will, my darling. Though do not worry about us; we're doing perfectly fine here for now." She glanced down at her son's gloved hands, taking his right one into her own frail hands. She traced a small pattern with her fingertip onto his palm. "Why must you wear these? You're found now, love-"

"I don't want them to know! They cannot know that I was hiding all this time; I hid because I wanted to stay here with you Mama, especially when Papa was sick! You all needed me here, I couldn't just use _this_ as my ticket out of here; it would immoral and unfair to you all!" He cried out, swiping his hand back and holding it to his chest.

His mother stepped back in fright, she had never seen Arthur so riled up for a long time. His calm, gentlemanly demeanour had slipped away momentarily out of panic and fear. Arthur's emerald eyes had shrunk; he had snapped at his own mother.

"I… I'm sorry…" He bowed his head in shame, only to look up again when a pair of soft hands cupped his cheeks and a kiss was pressed to his head.

"There is no need to be sorry, my child. It was I who brought forth the incident. Please forgive me," a childish smile rose on his mother's face; playful, the same as she had been when Arthur was a boy.

Arthur held his mother, trying to convince her that it was his fault for shouting. Though the woman was having none of it, eventually settling her son down and asking Eire to assist in making dinner.

Calm had come over the Kirkland household once more. Victoria was happy to have her son home for the last few weeks that they'd see each other every day. She was excited that her son would be married, especially to the Prince; though she would mourn the day that her child would fly the nest and create a new family alongside Prince Alfred.

* * *

Around a week later, Alfred was accompanied by his sweetheart as they performed their usual routine: walk through the gardens of Spade Castle, chatting idly about what had occurred in the time that they had not been together, Arthur was teased whenever he blushed around the Prince revealing a sour attitude that Alfred hadn't expected, and simply enjoying one another's presence as their wedding got ever closer.

Alfred was walking beside Arthur, noticing that the blond was a little more sullen than usual. He took his hand and held it tight, kissing the back of it. "What's the matter, Artie? You seem a little down."

"Beg your pardon? Please refrain from referring to me by that nickname," a pout appeared on Arthur's lips, a soft blush rising to his cheeks. "Also, nothing's wrong. I'm just a little tired from the trip that's all." He had arrived at the castle only a few minutes ago, so this excuse was plausible; yet Alfred couldn't help but think that there was something more.

"You're normally really happy to come to the palace. What's got you so down?" He stopped his tracks and turned Arthur to face him.

The blond sighed softly, "It's just… the recognition that I won't see my family every day. It's going to be odd experiencing that after the wedding and Coronation." His eyes flicked down to the ground, catching a glimpse of his gloved hand at the same time.

The Prince frowned, wrapping his arms around the other male, holding him close and brushing a hand through his hair. "I understand Arthur… If you like, I could try to convince Yao to let them move closer to the castle if need be?"

A small gasp escaped the other's mouth as he turned his gaze up to the Crown Prince in shock, yet excitement. "Y-You mean it Alfred?"

"Of course! If that'd make you happy!" A bright smile crossed his face, teeth bare and shiny white.

Arthur embraced the Prince with a hug and a passionate kiss; as well as a million thanks.

A little while later, Alfred and Arthur wandered to the Jack's office. The Prince knocked respectfully; after a moment, the elder male opened the door. His dark eyes bore into the sight of the Prince and his companion.

"Ah, Your Majesties. Do come in," he stepped aside and bowed to them, allowing them into the room. The two sat down at chairs opposite a rosewood desk, then joined by the dark-haired male. "Now, what can I do for you? There are many preparations that need to be completed if you two are to be wed."

Alfred explained that Arthur felt he would become homesick, much to the green-eyed male's annoyance, and that he was wondering if his family could move closer to the castle so Arthur would be able to see them often. Unfortunately, the Jack scoffed in distaste; a frown line becoming more noticeable on his forehead.

"That cannot happen. Arthur will have duties as Queen once he ascends to the throne after the Coronation! If his family were moved closer to ease the distance between them, how can you be certain that your betrothed will remain here for his duties?" Wang Yao cried out, speaking of Arthur as if he was not in the room. The soon-to-be Queen bowed his head, his hands clutched tightly together, shaking slightly.

"That's not fair! Arthur has every right to be with his family should he want to! Your answer is bullshit Yao, and you know it!" The Prince growled in anger, but he then turned his attention to Arthur, who had gotten up and was walking toward the door. "A-Arthur, where 'ya going?"

Silence filled the room for a few moments. Arthur then removed his gloves, turned back to the two and placed his right hand on his heart; the Marking of the Queen stained the back of his hand. The Mark was a Spade made up of numerous connecting, flowing lines, a small rose inked in the centre. "I'm going home to my family. Despite, my status in this castle and nation."

Yao and Alfred were wide-eyed; the Queen was found by pure chance? Why didn't he come forward sooner? The Jack got up from his seat and rushed to Arthur, grasping his hand violently and scratched at the back of his hand, to see if the marking was fake. However, the male's pale skin, reddened from the incessant scratching, was still stained with the birthmark of a Queen.

Arthur's green eyes were dark in anger, "If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go back to-!"

"You can't just leave! You are the chosen one by fate! We allowed you to leave the castle since you were the one Alfred had chosen; but fate herself chose you and you must be protected!" Yao ordered, pulling a small string, which hung from the ceiling, ringing a bell. "The guards will be here post-haste. You are to be under complete surveillance until the wedding. You will not be allowed out of your room until you ascend to the throne, My Queen. Such is the Law of Spades."

Arthur's eyes lit up in fear; under all the anxiety and pressure to reveal this partial-truth about himself, he did not want to be away from his family. Away from Alfred. He ran to the Prince, who held him tight and shouted to the Jack to change his mind. However, the Jack could not be swayed; as the guards entered the room, Arthur was seized and taken away.

One final call of each other's name linked the Prince and his Betrothed together, before Arthur was locked away in a room far away from Alfred's. The blond would not stop banging on the door as he tried to get out of the prison he had trapped himself in. Decisions were created to be made, and in Arthur's case, his decision had left him with emotional turmoil.

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Hey, everyone! So sorry that this is up late today, uni's been piling on the work as expected. Plus I had to write this chapter from scratch; all chapter's will be from scratch now. Before I had a few chapters written so I edited them and put them up. This time I had to write the whole thing in one sitting, so excuse the grammar or spelling mistakes, if any.

Just to confirm; I chose Victoria for Arthur's mother after Queen Victoria, Empress of India and such. Alistair is Scotland, Dylan is Wales, Eoin is Northern Ireland and Eire is Ireland (I liked the idea of them being twins who get on quite well, but will have disputes over subjects should the need call for it), and Peter is of course Sealand.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and see you next week!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four: Content

Arthur was slumped down against the heavy oak door, his hands lying in his lap, and his head hung in disgrace at his actions. His cheeks were tear-stained from where he'd been calling for Alfred, his family, his freedom. His emerald eyes revealed themselves as they focused on his marked hand; the lines of the Spadian Crest connected effortlessly against his pale skin.

Knowing that there was nothing more he could do, besides hurt himself banging at the door anymore, he got up from the floor and wandered over to the four-poster bed, and sank into the plush duvet. Arthur curled up tightly, pulling the navy-blue sheets around himself, as if to hide himself from the world around him. There were only two things that he truly wanted at that moment: his family, and Alfred.

Images of his siblings, his mother, and Alfred all standing together with open arms filled his mind. Arthur always believed these images made him weak, but truthfully, he didn't care. A real man would understand the importance of family, and cherish it, not push it away as if it were nothing of meaning to him. That's what his father had always said; until his final breath.

In his thoughts, Arthur rushed toward those people, his family, and his betrothed, he could almost touch them, until his dream was interrupted by a loud click. The lock on the door? He sat up and turned to the door, but no one stood there; it wasn't open. He quirked a brow, getting up, and walked over to the door. Trying the handle, he confirmed that it was still locked; a sudden frown stained his face.

However, the soon-to-be Queen was grabbed from behind, but before he could cry out, a hand covered his mouth, and a soft voice spoke.

"Shh! Relax, it's me!" The voice was hushed, yet familiar. Arthur turned his emerald gaze and met a pair of sapphires staring back at him, a cheeky grin on his face.

"Alfred! What are you doing he-?!" But before he could finish talking, the Prince had already met his lips in a deep, apologetic kiss. All Arthur could do was sink into the bliss given to him by the golden-haired boy. A moment later, too soon for Arthur, Alfred pulled back and pressed a kiss to the other's forehead.

"I came to rescue you, that's what the hero of all those fairy stories do right? I am the brave, noble Prince come to rescue my damsel-in-distress-!" Alfred chimed, before it was his turn for his mouth to be covered.

"Damsel, my arse! I can stand up for myself perfectly fine!" Arthur scowled, but Alfred simply chuckled as a peachy blush rose over his Queen's cheeks. He nodded happily in response, almost sad when Arthur removed his soft hand from his lips.

Arthur was about to ask the question again, of what Alfred was doing here, but was captured by the Prince's strong, yet loving hold, another kiss placed on his lips; this time a little more passionate. His eyelids fluttered shut, the blush continuing to grow on his cheeks.

The Prince's hands shook slightly as he thought about what to do next, should he keep going or should he hold back and let Arthur make the first move? He really didn't know what to do! While he internally panicked over what he should do next, he felt the other's nimble tongue tap at his lip, asking for entrance. Alfred shuddered softly, but slowly parted his mouth and welcomed Arthur in. Their tongues danced together as they continued to kiss, everything seemed to be a blur around them as they focused solely on each other.

After a few more passionate moments, their lips withdrew; both swollen from the romance shared between them. Arthur's eyes widened as he realised where they now were: lying on the bed, with the Prince above him, glancing down through thin sheets of glass. A bright blush made his face light up, but Alfred just chuckled with delight.

"We seemed to get a little heated there, I'm sorry Artie!" He chuckled, sitting up, so the other could escape from underneath him, but Arthur just lay there, hiding his face in his hands.

Arthur's eyes focused onto Alfred's smile, then he sat up and rested his head against the Prince's shoulder. "I-It's alright… I did make the required move. I'm the o-one to blame…"

"No blame! It was… r-really good. I'd never kissed anyone before you, let alone do _that_ ," he shrugged his shoulders. Now it was Alfred's turn to blush. The Queen-to-be simply laughed and kissed Alfred's cheek, as if to say it was alright. His sapphire eyes met emeralds, causing a smile to appear on his lips.

"Anyway, now that we're calm again. Why are you here?" Arthur piped up, glancing up at his King.

Alfred's face screwed up slightly as he tried to remember, then he gasped, pushed up his glasses and turned to Arthur, taking his hand. "I wanted to get you outta' here! Why don't I take you back to your family home? I'll go with you, and that'll prove to Yao that no matter where you are, who you're with, or what you're doing, I'm always there to protect you! Then he may let you out more until the wedding!" He grinned, his words causing Arthur to blush.

"You honestly mean that Alfred? You'd take me home?" His eyes lit up with joy at the thought of seeing his family after the Jack had strictly said he would probably never see them again, at least not for a long while.

"Of course, I would! Family's important, right?" He grinned, though in his mind, he thought of his mother, who was better from her panic at the dance. However, she was still unhappy about Alfred choosing a man as his Queen. The Prince pushed the image from his mind and focused his gaze on Arthur once more. "What do ya' say? Shall we go see your family?"

Arthur beamed, his eyes twinkling, "Yes, I'd love to go and see them-! A-Alfred… you said 'we'?"

Alfred nodded definitively, "Well yeah, I wanna' meet them. I haven't met your family yet, and you've met mine. So, it's fair right?" He grinned childishly. The other male nodded in acknowledgment, then decided that they would go that night; back to his home, where he grew up.

* * *

After a long ride, the duo finally made it to the Kirkland home. A warm orange glow emanated from the windows; Arthur suspected that the fireplace must be lit. Hopping off their horses, Arthur petted their noses, before bringing them to the stables, it was warm and comfortable in their for the royal horses, known as Kimberley and Coconut, as the two were a golden blond and white respectively.

The green-eyed male turned to face Alfred, whose lip was quirked slightly, and his hands intertwined with each other; he was clearly nervous. Arthur wandered over to him and took Alfred's hand, "There's nothing to be afraid of Alfred. It's only my family; they'll be honoured to have you in their home." These words let Alfred relax slightly, as he took a deep breath and nodded that he was ready.

Turning toward the door, Arthur gently knocked of the solid wood. Upon hearing a few footsteps, the door was opened by Eire

"Arthur, welcome home! How was your-!" She gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of the Prince. "Y-Your Majesty?! W-What are you doing here…?"

"Eire, Alfred has come to pay a visit to us. So, he could meet you all before the wedding; may we come in to see everyone else?" Arthur chucked softly at his sister's shocked expression. The girl nodded slowly, before stepping aside and letting the two come in.

Arthur led the way to the main room, a cosy room lit with the fire, just as he expected, and his family sitting around after a long day's work. They were all conversing calmly, until they noticed the new presence. Jaws dropped as their eyes focused on the Prince, all except for Arthur's mother, who simply smiled elegantly, got up from her chair, curtsied to the boy.

"Good evening, Your Highness. Welcome to our home. It may not be as extravagant as your palace; but we call it home," Victoria spoke with grace, her olive-green eyes sparkled with excitement at having the Prince in her home.

"A pleasure to meet you all. And please, all of you may refer to me as Alfred. Outside the palace, I am happy being called by name~" He grinned, taking Victoria's hand and pressing a kiss to her cheek in greeting.

Alfred greeted each of Arthur's siblings one-by-one, shaking their hands, and trying to keep their names locked in his mind. When the formalities were over, the Prince glanced around and tapped his finger against his lower lip. "N-Not to be rude, but where's your dad?"

Everyone's face seemed to sink at the mention of their father, Peter sniffled softly, causing Eire and Eoin to wrap their arms around him, consoling the boy. Alfred swallowed awkwardly, about to apologise, when Victoria spoke up again.

"There is no need to apologise for your words, my boy. My husband passed away about three years ago, he was sick, and could not get better. There is no harm done; you did not know," her face, despite being wrinkled and frail, held a glimmer of hope and happiness, even when talking about her deceased partner.

The Prince's blue eyes momentarily lost their sparkle, he had regretted asking that question. His head perked up as he felt a tender touch to his arm, turning his gaze to meet Arthur's, who held a sympathetic smile on his soft features. It was as if happiness simply passed between the two, as Arthur's smile caused Alfred's lips to turn up into a smile as well.

A few hours later, most the family had gone to bed, the only ones who were still awake were Arthur, Alfred, and Alistair. Soon, Arthur got up from where he sat by the window, kissed Alfred's and went to the room, that would soon no longer be his.

As Alfred was getting up to follow after him, Alistair spoke up. "Do you love him?" His dark green eyes shone with curiosity, a cigarette between his lips, before he exhaled a puff of smoke.

"O-Of course, I do. W-Why are you asking me that?" He felt attacked, how could Arthur's brother ask him a question like that? It's not like Arthur meant nothing to him, he chose him without knowing of the Queen's mark, so he clearly was important to Alfred.

"I'm only asking… purely because I know that me' wee brother doesn't like being used or taken advantage of. That's a reason why he was afraid to reveal his wee birthmark in the first place, that and the fact that he couldn't bear the thought of leaving us behind." He bowed his head, his red hair prominent in the near finite glow of the fire.

Alfred's sapphire eyes widened slightly, "I can assure you, that I'll protect your little brother with my life should the need come for it. I do really love him; I'll prove it to you throughout the next few years of Arthur and I being together in matrimony." He held a determined expression, which soon faltered as a throaty laugh escaped the other.

"I know ye' will. Arthur tells us all about you when he's home; don't tell him I said that, he'd kill me. But enjoy the time you have with him, Arthur is a calm lad, one who cares a lot for those around him, especially his family," Alistair grinned, putting out the cigarette and walking past the other, he stopped for a moment though, looking to Alfred. "Arthur's room is down the corridor, third door on the left." He then went to his own room.

The Prince sighed softly, followed Alistair's instructions, and entered Arthur's room. He was sitting on his bed, glancing down at his right hand, tracing his fingertips along the black lines that stained his skin almost therapeutically.

"Come in, Alfred. I know that's you at the door," Arthur's voice rose from the darkness, the light of a small candle highlighting the straw-colour of his hair. The addressed male entered the room completely, shutting the door behind him and went to sit beside Arthur, putting an arm over his shoulders. "Were you speaking with Alistair?"

"Only briefly, he was just telling me about why you were so afraid… to show me this," he took Arthur's marked hand, kissing the rose in the centre. This caused Arthur to blush and smile softly.

"I see… Let's get some sleep. We're in for a long day tomorrow should Yao find we're missing," Arthur laughed, climbing into bed, he had already changed into his pyjamas for the night.

Alfred grinned, setting his dark blue coat and waistcoat off to the side, and unbuttoning part of his white dress shirt. Then he slipped out of his smart shoes and trousers, folding them neatly like his mother showed him how to do, before climbing into bed beside Arthur.

"We're not really meant to be sharing a bed until the wedding, y'know that right?" Alfred chuckled softly, setting his glasses aside. Arthur snuggled into the Prince, a sly look on his face.

"What they don't know won't hurt right?" He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the Prince's lips before settling down. "Get some rest Alfred~"

The Prince happily obliged, pressing a kiss to Arthur's forehead lovingly, before shutting his eyes. He and Arthur basked in the moonlight from the window, both falling asleep content n each other's hold.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Hi everyone, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, A little mushy in places I know, but I had to do a few sweet moments between Arthur and Alfred. Also, this story will not contain full on yaoi, but the occasional passionate kiss, as shown in the chapter, may appear every now and again.

Again, apologies as to what happened with Lower Your Ghostly Sword last week, if anyone of you read that story as well. It's all sorted now, and in case you didn't see the update in my bio, I will be uploading two chapters of Lower Your Ghostly Sword on Wednesday to make up for the long wait on last week's chapter.

Thanks everyone for reading, see you next week!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five: Apologies

The faint light of the early morning shone through the linen curtains, obscuring the surrounding scenery, from the singular window in Arthur's bedroom. The smaller blond woke up as soon as the small rays of light hit his eyelids; reflexively burying himself into the warmth beside him to avoid the harsh sunlight.

A familiar scent embraced his senses, one of wisteria, with a hint of a summer's morning; a scent that could only be recognised at the Prince of Spades. Arthur opened his eyes and glanced up at the figure who had him in a comforting hold; his emeralds met the other's golden hair, sun-kissed skin, and lashes that lay gingerly against his cheeks. The Prince had an expression of peace on his features, natural laugh lines were carved into his skin, and occasional, pale freckles dotted his cheeks.

Arthur smiled to himself; how was he so lucky to have the chance to marry, let alone fall in love with, the Prince. He was truly wonderful; there wasn't really a thing that Arthur could fault about Alfred. He knew what to say and when to say it. His teasing would never last longer than he deemed necessary. Perfection; that was the only word Arthur could use to describe the Prince.

"What are you starin' at?" A deep, tired voice rang in Arthur's ears; he snapped out of his reverie, only to find a pair of sapphires focused on him. He could truly see how blue Alfred's eyes were now, as he was not wearing his glasses.

"N-Nothing… I've just woken up…" Arthur quickly said, to retain his dignity around Alfred. The Prince simply chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to the other's nose, before getting up, and dressing himself.

"We better go down and greet your family; we kinda' need to return to the Castle sooner rather than later, just in case Yao, or Mom and Dad, file a missing persons' ad… Basically ringing the alarm bell and screeching at the top of their lungs," He grinned cheekily, his eyes sparkling. The other male sat up and rolled his eyes at the Prince, but proceeded to get up as well, changing into a pair of black dress trousers, white shirt, and a green waistcoat: the outfit he wore when he had first met the Prince at the ball.

The two then walked, hand in hand, to the main living space, greeting those who were already awake: Victoria, Alistair, and Eire. The Kirkland family perked up at seeing the Prince and Arthur step into the room; the latter's mother getting up from her usual chair and walking into the kitchen to serve some breakfast for them.

After sitting at the table for a few moments, plates were placed in front of Alfred and Arthur, a traditional breakfast lay on the fine china. Both of them ate happily; constant compliments left Alfred's mouth as he tried each new part of the plate, which caused Victoria and Arthur to chuckle brightly.

Once finished, Arthur got up and helped with the dishes, despite his mother's complaints. He believed that he should at least continue doing some chores around the house while he was here. He won't be doing any in the Castle, and it would feel odd to the blond not doing labour of that sort anymore. However, Arthur vowed that he would assist with a few chores whenever he came home.

Alfred glanced out the window, then pulled out a small, silver pocket watch from inside his jacket, opening it. "Arthur! We better be heading back; any later and Yao will panic." He looked up at his betrothed, and frowned at how upset he look.

"Do not worry Arthur. It shall not be too long before we see each other again. Most likely your wedding day and coronation," Victoria spoke, her frail features expressing a joyous expression that her son was getting married. "I would not mind you writing to us if you cannot visit often. That would suffice; as long as we know you are doing well." She was embraced by her son, and she responded by wrapping her arms around his shoulders, carding her delicate fingers through his hair.

A moment later, Arthur pulled back from the embrace, and turned to Alfred, signalling that he was ready. The Prince responded with a solemn nod, before bidding the Kirkland family goodbye, and heading to the stables to collect Kimberley and Coconut for the arduous ride back to Spade Castle. After mounting Coconut, Arthur glanced to his home, noticing his family standing at the door waving goodbye, the younger siblings were in tears, but the elder siblings and Victoria were smiling proudly. He smiled brightly, tears slipping down his cheeks, waving back to his family, before cracking the reins, and riding away, alongside Alfred.

* * *

The servants of Spade Castle were hurrying around under instruction from Yao. The Jack had noticed the Prince and his Queen's disappearance; then ordered everyone to search the castle and nearby towns for them.

Standing in the entrance hall, the unshakable Jack trembled as there had been no news on the two. He turned around at hearing footsteps, but gasped as he saw the King and Queen dash towards him.

"Yao! What's happened? Where's my baby boy?!" Amelia cried out, her sky blue eyes wide with panic and worry for her son.

"Y-Your Majesty! T-There are guards and servants looking everywhere for them. Villages have been notified and will keep an eye out for them as well-!"

"We don't want an update on how many people are looking for them; we need to know if they are safe!" The King bellowed, a vein popping from his forehead with anger, yet worry.

However, before Yao could answer, footsteps clattered against the tiled floor. The three turned to the sound, their eyes meeting the familiar blue and green of Alfred and Arthur. The Prince took a defensive stance, protecting Arthur as his mother approached them.

"Alfred! Where were you, we were all worried sick?!" She scolded, before turning an eye to Arthur. "You hypnotised him into going with you, didn't you? You're evil, I knew it; you've cursed my son, making him fall in love with you!" Amelia growled, attempting to tower over the Queen-to-be, but Alfred stood in her way.

"Will you quit it?! We were never in any danger. All we did was go back to Arthur's family home, because _you_ refused to let him go!" Alfred jabbed a finger at the Jack, who hung his head, before turning back to his mother. "He hasn't cursed me! Where would get an idea like that from?! Besides, Arthur bears the mark, chance brought us together, but fate meant for us to be together!" Blue eyes met green; Arthur nodded in understanding, and raised his right hand revealing the mark to the King and Queen.

Amelia's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. George's eyes widened for a moment, but then he turned to his wife; giving her a harsh glare.

The Queen glanced down at the floor for a moment, before looking up at Arthur again. "I…I am terribly sorry for all that I've said to you. I had no right to be so harsh to the new Queen that Fate herself has chosen for us." She may not have necessarily agreed with it, however, it was deemed to be the truth that Arthur was the chosen one, and that she would simply have to accept that.

"I forgive you, Your Majesty," Arthur spoke up, his face soft with sympathy. "The concept of a male Queen tends to break Spadian tradition, as it does not happen very often. So, I understand your concern for your son and the Kingdom, as well as the Monarchy's look to the other Kingdoms. You did not wish to be made a fool of. Therefore, I understand why you may not, and perhaps never will, completely accept me into the Monarchy of Spades."

The three elders stared at Arthur; what a terrific speech. Clearly, he was designed to be the Queen; for they had to be a good orator, as they typically read to the people, and organised battle plans. George advanced to the Queen-to-be, offering his hand, which Arthur gladly accepted.

"Welcome to the family, and the Monarchy, Arthur," he spoke stoically, a smile on his face.

But before Arthur could respond, Yao spoke up once more. "I'm afraid to say that… you two will need to be apart again." He gaze darted between Arthur and Alfred. "Today marks the final week until you two are married, and as it has been done in the past, the betrothed are not allowed to see one another until the wedding from this point on. Instead, you two will take this week to train yourselves for the work that will become of you once the throne belongs to you."

"Alfred, firstly, you shall accompany your father in lessons to understand the courage of a King. How he shall organise peace conversation between the Kingdoms, how he prepares his soldiers for war, and finally protects his Queen and offspring from danger," his hazel eyes focused on Alfred, who nodded definitively, yet his hand tightly coiled itself around Arthur's, refusing to let go.

"And, Arthur. You will accompany Queen Amelia in understanding your kindness as Queen. You are prime orator between the King and the people. Anything your King requests to be given to the public is done by your hand. You will accompany him in producing battle plans, and fight on the front line to protect him. Finally, you will assist the public in keeping morale up during times of difficulty." Arthur nodded in response, his green eyes determined.

Arthur and Alfred turned to one another, the latter looking melancholy that he had to leave Arthur for the next week. The smaller male placed his hand on the other's cheek, brushing his thumb along it softly; a reassuring smile on his face.

"It's alright, Alfred. It's not too long until we'll be together again. And, we'll be getting married when we see one another right? So, it's something to look forward to," he grinned brightly. "I… I love you Alfred, my Prince. I look forward to the day that we'll be together, until our final breath." Arthur pressed a quick kiss to Alfred's cheek before being escorted away, hurriedly, by two maids of the court.

The Prince reached for Arthur and frowned deeply. He remembered the other's words, and smiled fondly at them, before being guided by his father to his room.

Studies began the next day. It would be difficult for the two, however, the finale would be something worth waiting for.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Evening everyone! So sorry this is up late. Uni has been killing me, and plus I stayed up last night to watch the Super Bowl, so wasn't in bed till gone 3.30AM. What a great game!

I hope you all enjoy the chapter; and I appear to have updated everything correctly this week! If there are any issues with updates, don't hesitate to let me know and I'll sort it out as soon as I can.

Thank you everyone for reading! See you next week!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Six: Work of the Monarchy**

The Crown Prince looked back over his shoulder at the retreating body of his betrothed. A look of despair and longing crossed his features; he just wanted Arthur beside him through these final days until they got married. He was shocked out of his daydream, by a firm hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see his father there, a soft smile on his aging face.

"Don't worry, Alfred. It won't be long until you see Arthur again," George grinned softly. "I suffered the same thing as you, my boy. The time spent without your mother was one of the hardest times of my life." His face turned to one of remembrance, a small smile curled on his lips.

"What time will the wedding happen, Dad? I don't want to wait for ages that day," Alfred frowned.

George thought for a moment, then looked to his son, "Normally around midday. You'll be woken at nine o'clock, fed, then dressed. Catherine shall assist you, as your head maid. Arthur and you will be separate until you meet at the altar for the wedding. Straight after the marriage ceremony, Arthur will be inaugurated onto the throne as Queen, and you as King. Does that make sense to you, my boy?"

Alfred nodded; he originally had no idea how busy the day of the wedding would be. All he knew is that Arthur's inauguration ceremony would be a lot longer than his as he was not born into the royal family or the upper classes. He didn't mind though, as long as he could be with his partner, that's all that mattered.

His thoughts were cut short, once again, as they arrived at his father's office. After being shown inside, Alfred glanced around the room. He had never been in here before; he wasn't allowed as a young boy due to the sensitive nature of materials in the room. George then offered him a seat, while he sat at his desk, leaning back against his chair. The Prince accepted his father's offer, sitting opposite him. It felt like his father was going to interrogate him; but he was going to train him in understanding these different files.

"Yao will take care of a great deal of paperwork, but only with your consent. If there are some papers that you wish to sort by yourself, then that's totally fine. Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Just remember that Yao is there to help you should you need it," George smiled to his son, trying to make him feel better about the upcoming work he would need to complete.

The two began to explore the different forms of documents that would need to be consulted as King. These included meetings between other nations, meetings with the Court, as well as constitutional bills that would need to be passed to improve the lives of the citizens of Spades, should the need arise. The Prince sat and read through a draft of each document so he could understand all the technical wording.

Despite all the work and study over the next few days, Alfred simply could not pull his thoughts away from Arthur. A pair of emeralds, and a dainty smile, filled his mind with pleasant memories. The Prince was excited to meet Arthur again; it was like his partner had said, the next time they see each other would be their wedding day. Alfred was determined to stay strong for his betrothed, and wait patiently for their wedding.

* * *

Arthur walked with the maids, a frown on his face. He missed Alfred dearly; looking down to his hand where the warmth of the Prince's hand caused his face to flush.

"My Queen, are you alright?" One of the maids spoke up, causing Arthur to glance up in surprise. He nodded hesitantly, brushing his hand back through his blond locks.

The party soon made it to the required room: the office belonging to the Queen, on the opposite side of the castle to the King's. Arthur stepped inside and glanced around, the walls were painted with a vibrant indigo, and the carpet was a pale blue, juxtaposing the light and darkness of the room. White linen curtains hid the windows from Arthur's view, while an oak desk and matching chair sat at the far end of the room. The wood seemed to be freshly polished and cleaned, with neat stacks of books and paperwork covering the top.

"Clara, you are dismissed. Continue your work downstairs, clean the kitchen alongside Emily," one of the maids spoke up; the other nodded, curtsied to Arthur, then left the room. "Now, Arthur, this is where you will spend time with Lady Amelia while learning the work of a Queen. Though if you should need to call on me for help, I'm more than happy to assist you. You may call me Elizabeth, I have been maid for the royal family for at least sixty years." She curtsied in respect for the soon-to-be Queen.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Elizabeth. I'm aware that you have been caretaker for Alfred during his life, while his parents were away on business in other nations," he smiled brightly, taking her hand and shaking it politely. "Alfred has told me a lot about you; he truly seems to admire you, and all that you've done for him."

"The Prince has been my pride and joy, as much as the King and Queen's. He's a very pleasant boy, a little hyperactive at points; but when the need calls for it, he can be very serious and determined to get his work done to the best possible standard. He is quite the perfectionist; he claimed to be the Hero of Spades while he was a boy." The elderly maid chuckled with reminiscence; remembering the times she spent with him in the nursery while waiting for Amelia and George to return from business.

The young Prince was a bundle of energy as a young boy; he still was to this day in a matter of fact. He loved to go out riding with his parents, and hunt with his father. His blue eyes sparkled in anticipation the first time he had ridden a horse, which happened to be Kimberley; Elizabeth had been there when Alfred went out with George. She bid him a safe trip, and tied her handkerchief around his wrist for good luck. The Prince still treasured the handkerchief to this day; but he kept it hidden from numerous people, as to not seem weak.

Arthur continued conversing with Elizabeth about the Prince as a boy, before footsteps entered the room. They turned their gaze to the Queen, who had just entered.

"Thank you for waiting for me, apologies Elizabeth that I took so long, I was discussing some final things with Yao," the Queen bowed her head to the maid apologetically; she held the highest of respects for Elizabeth, due to all her service from when she had become part of the monarchy. "You may leave now, I will see to Arthur's duties."

Elizabeth nodded, "Understood, My Lady." She turned to Arthur, "Good luck; though I'm sure you don't need it." She smiled brightly, before excusing herself and leaving the room, shutting the door carefully behind her.

"Take a seat, Arthur," the Queen spoke up, a smile on her face for a change, as she took her own seat. "F-First… let me apologise greatly for the way I have treated you. It was unacceptable of someone of my status. Please accept my humblest apologies."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty. Your concern was within reason; worry for your son, as I said downstairs with Yao and the King." He held a gracious smile on his face, he was just happy the Queen could speak to him calmly now, without risking the chance of her exploding in a fit of anger.

"Anyway… onto business," she grinned. "As the Queen, you will have numerous areas to attend to. Including war documents, and passing on information from your King to the people of Spades. Whatever the King asks for you to give to the public, you do so; no questions asked."

The lessons for the Prince and his betrothed continued into the night for the remainder of the week. Their hearts yearning for one another, but they knew deep down that their wedding day would truly be wonderful.

Finally, it was the night before the wedding. Arthur stood on his balcony, glancing out at Spades Kingdom. His green eyes shimmered under the moonlight; his pale skin illuminated. "This will be mine from tomorrow, alongside my King." He glanced at his marked hand, holding it up to the sky. "Those who bear the Marks of Power, Kindness, and Wisdom, are deemed to be the saviours of the people in their Kingdom. That's what the Spadian scriptures read when I studied them as a boy. Alfred's power and Yao's wisdom are definitely evident in their character. I'm not so sure about my kindness, concerning my _secret_." He frowned softly, before stepping back into his room.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

Apologies for this chapter being up a day late! Been drowning in work, and came back from holiday with my boyfriend for our anniversary not too long ago.

I want to thank all you for such kind reviews and the views. I'm really happy people are enjoying this story so much!

Thank you so so much! See you next week!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Seven: Marital Bond**

Nerves. That's all the Prince could feel at that moment. His hands, his legs, his whole body was in a state of peril. Normally, he would be excited and ready to face the day ahead; but for some reason, today he was a nervous wreck. Yes, it was his wedding day; but why was he so nervous? It's not like Arthur was going to leave him at the altar, and not marry him; he had to do what the Scriptures said of them to do. But, would that stop a reckless spirit like Arthur, who has already argued with his mother, the current Queen, and the Jack, before even being crowned?

"My Prince?" A familiar voice broke Alfred out of his daydream. Elizabeth stood there, a concerned gaze on her withered face. "Are you alright? You seem to be most worried…" She carefully took his unsteady hand, running her thumb along his knuckles.

"Elizabeth… I… I'm fine…" He turned his face away, nibbling his lower lip in anxiety. As his personal maid, she could always tell when something was wrong; no matter how miniscule it was. She always had a way of understanding the Prince's tone of voice, expression, or general actions, that hinted at his upset or worry.

"Pre-marital nerves?" The maid chuckled, continuing to dress the Prince in his wedding attire: a black suit, with a royal blue shirt, a white rose pinned to the collar of his blazer, polished dress shoes, and white gloves.

The Prince laughed, though his voice shook slightly, "You could say that, I guess. I don't get it; I'm never nervous for anything, so why today?"

"It's perfectly normal, Prince Alfred. Many couples feel anxious before they get married; I'm sure Arthur is experiencing similar emotions right now." A gentle smile crossed her face at noticing ho the Prince blushed, and stiffened slightly, at the mention of the other's name. "After the ceremony, everything will relax. Once you are married, Arthur will be crowned through his coronation; then the party will start. You will greet the other Monarchies, Hearts, Diamonds, then Clubs. If you follow Yao's instructions when he comes to pick you up, you shall be just fine."

"T-Thanks, Elizabeth. For everything you've done, and hopefully, everything you'll do for Arthur and I." Alfred turned to face the maid, wrapping his arms carefully around her petite frame. He was smiling brightly, especially when he felt the other's delicate fingers carding through his golden locks.

When they pulled away from one another, Elizabeth let out a small chuckle, reaching down to tuck Alfred's shirt in, "Keep yourself presentable." Alfred laughed along with her, scratching at the back of his head in slight embarrassment, before a knock emanated through the room. The Prince called for them to enter, recognising that the person who stepped through the door was Yao.

"Are you ready, Your Majesty? Everyone is seated in the Chapel for the ceremony," the Asian male held a pleasant smile on his face, for a change. This let Alfred relax, as he nodded. He turned to Elizabeth, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand in farewell, before leaving the room.

The butterflies in his stomach continued to flutter.

* * *

Arthur stared at himself in the mirror, as a maid, Clara, brushed down his suit; making sure that he was presentable to the Lords and Ladies of the Court, as well as his betrothed. Emerald orbs admired the pristine white suit he was wearing, symbolising purity, the blue shirt hidden underneath the bright white, and the blue rose in his buttonhole. He really looked different compared the farm-boy that he had been only a few weeks prior. A smile crossed his face; today was the day that he'd be married to the person he loved most.

When she was done, Clara lifted a fragile bouquet of white and blue roses, handing it to Arthur. He hesitantly took the flowers into his hold, but then was captivated by their enticing scent. Turning back to the mirror, the blond focused on how he looked; different, yet somehow still the same. His hair still refused to be tamed, while his pale skin shone in the late morning sunlight, his eyes still a glittering green.

Although Arthur found it odd, he could not question the scriptures; as he noticed Clara nearing him, he turned toward her, bowing his head. The young woman placed a golden band on his head; a veil. The scriptures stated: "The Queen, whether female or male, will wear a veil to their wedding ceremony. It may only be lifted from the face when the two are bound in holy matrimony; any earlier and destruction may rain down upon Spades. If the Queen refuses to wear the veil, the wedding will be postponed; or another Queen may take the former's place. This circumstance has never happened; and Spades hopes it never shall. After the ceremony, the Queen may remove the veil from their head, and hand it to the former Queen, as their first token."

Glancing back up at himself, Arthur could barely make out his face amongst the intricate netting of the veil. The gold band practically disappeared into his bright blond hair. Embarrassment crossed his features, as a pout appeared on his lips; he felt like a fool to have to wear this, but he had to do what tradition said.

A knock at the door broke Arthur out of his dreamlike state. Clara skipping toward the door, and opening it, greeting the person outside it.

"Well, my wee brother. Today's the day, huh?" A recognisable voice, and accent, rang through the room. Arthur spun around to see his eldest brother, Alistair, standing there in a black dress suit, with a white shirt and a white rose in his buttonhole. "You're lookin' fancy. Definitely like a Queen now"

"Oh, be quiet," Arthur laughed, walking toward him, "So, you're all here. Mother, and everyone else?" His eyes shone with hope; he had wanted his family to come to his wedding at the very least.

"Aye, your Prince managed to convince the Jack to let us all stay the night as well. We'll be here for the whole event, until around midday tomorrow," Alistair winked, a toothy grin on his face. "Anyway, we better get you down to the ceremony, what do ye' say?" He offered his arm to Arthur, the other reluctantly taking it, placing his hand onto the crook of his brother's elbow.

Arthur quickly turned his head back to Clara, who was waiting patiently, with a smile on her face, to be dismissed from her duties, despite her knowing that she had finished what was required of her. "Thank you for all your help, Clara. It is most appreciated," he bowed his head to her, as she curtsied in response. "Right, let's do this."

* * *

Excitement was buzzing in the Chapel, especially when Prince Alfred stepped inside, taking his place in the front row, alongside his mother, father, and his brother, Matthew, the Ace of Spades. The second Spadian Prince had just returned from Hearts Kingdom, as he went to visit his partner, another Ace by the name of Gilbert Beilschmidt; elder brother of the King of Hearts.

"Mattie! How was Hearts? Everything okay?" Alfred spoke to his brother, delighted to see him again after the few months of them being apart.

"Everything was great, thanks Al. Gil was asking about you, seeing if you were okay. When we heard the news, we tried to get over here as fast as we could, but King Ludwig needed him for something, so he suggested I stay; in case I got hurt on the way back," he rolled his eyes playfully. "You know how he is; in actuality he just wanted me to stay, so he could-"

"Enough, Matthew, I think Alfred gets the point," George spoke up, a smile on his face. This caused the younger male to blush brightly, and turn his violet gaze away from his brother.

"Y-Yes, Father…" He quickly glanced back to Alfred, and mouthed to him, that he'd tell him later. Though, Alfred had pretty much gotten the picture. The Ace was a mischievous kind of guy, he had caused some problems in Hearts, complaining that he didn't want to become King. So, when his younger brother, Ludwig, came of age, he simply handed the throne to him, and took up the role of Ace in place of his brother.

Alfred sat back in his seat, anxiously twiddling his thumbs, before a dainty, gloved hand rested on his. He glanced up and saw his mother smiling at him.

"Try and relax, Alfred. I know this is a big moment for you, but you need to steady your nerves; everything will be fine," she kissed his forehead, lovingly, causing Alfred to smile gratefully.

Soon, they all heard a door open behind them. Alfred's eyes widened; he refused to look back, knowing that this was the moment he had been waiting for. The priest signalled to Alfred, to step up onto the altar; the Prince followed the command and quickly rushed to the step. He held his hands in front of him patiently, but his fingers were restless and couldn't stop linking and unlinked, clenching and unclenching.

An organ began to play a traditional Spadian wedding march, causing Alfred's palms to sweat, and his body to tremble. The sound of footsteps approaching eventually made the Prince, turn to the source. His sapphire eyes widened as he caught sight of his Queen.

His shaking ceased, his palms no longer coated in sweat, the music faded away into nothing. All he could focus on was Arthur, who had his eyes down to the bouquet in his clutch; clearly, he was nervous too. The Prince could only stare at the other, a bright smile on his face, as a single tear ran down his cheek. Arthur looked beautiful, so different, yet so familiar. The untamed blond hair, the long lashes that framed his emerald eyes, the pale skin patterned with delicate freckles.

And today… that man was going to become his Queen.

Arthur finally made it to the altar, he turned and smiled at Alistair, who reluctantly let him go, taking the bouquet of flowers from Arthur's grasp and going to sit back with the Kirkland family. The Queen-to-be glanced up, and was met by the Prince's friendly smile and sparkling blue irises. A timid smile rose on his own face, as well as a peachy blush. They both turned to the front; their hands aching to hold one another, their lips craving each other's kiss.

Not long left, until they'd be together, until the day they died.

The ceremony went by in a blur, eventually the time came for them to exchange rings and vows. The two turned to one another, green fixated on blue. Matthew, and Arthur's sister, Eire, came forward with the rings, kneeling before the altar, then offering the first band to Alfred.

At the Priest's requests, Arthur removed his gloves, handing them to Eire, before Alfred took his right hand; the one that bore the Mark of a Queen. Alfred ran his thumb along the other's soft skin, desperate to feel it against his own. He carefully slipped it onto Arthur's ring finger, the band fitting perfectly.

Alfred repeated after the Priest: "Arthur, my Queen. With this ring, I devote my life and work to you. I will protect you and our Kingdom until the bitter end. This ring binds me to you; I shall work hard to please you, and give you what you most desire."

The other blond turned his gaze away at Alfred's words, clearly flustered. He then followed the same procedure, taking the ring from Matthew, while Alfred handed his gloves to Eire. He took his Prince's hand, slipping the gold ring onto his finger; the warmth of his hand causing them both to relax. He focused his green eyes onto the other, then reiterated the Priest's words: "Alfred, my King. With this ring, I devote _my_ live and work to you. I will bear you a family, an heir for the Spadian throne, and protect them most dearly. I will lay my life down for you in times of conflict; protecting you from harm."

Eire and Matthew smiled at one another, as she set the gloves onto the soft royal blue pillow, before they made their way back to their families.

Meanwhile, Arthur and Alfred held each other's hands, and simply stared at one another until the Priest announced to the congregation that they were now married. He spoke, "You may now kiss your loved one, as the King and Queen of Spades."

Alfred carefully lifted the netted veil from Arthur's, with some assistance from the shorter male, but before Arthur had a moment to think, Alfred scooped him into his hold. "Gladly," and pressed a much-awaited kiss to the other's soft lips. The green-eyed male was slightly startled, but he settled against the other's warmth and, he returned the embrace. Cheers, and cries of joy echoed the room, as well as the phrase, 'Long live the King and Queen of Spades!"

The two pulled apart, just before George and Amelia had stepped forward, causing the people to go silent. They took the Priest's place on the altar, glancing down at their son, and his Queen.

"Alfred, Arthur. Please kneel, as we are going to pass the throne to you now," George spoke authoritatively. The two did as they were told, but refused to let go of one another's hand.

George brandished his sword from its sheath, laying it down on Alfred's shoulders; first his left, then his right. "As the King of Spades, I now pass my power and title onto you, my son, Alfred Freedom Jones." He handed the sword to Yao, who was standing by, prepared, knowing how the ceremony were to go; he'd done this before. The King raised his hands, lifting the golden, jewel-encrusted crown from his head, and placed it onto his son's. A look of pride rose on his face, as he saw Alfred glance up at him, the same cheeky smile he always had on his face.

Yao stepped round to the Queen, who received the sword from his hold and performed the same motion, instead on Arthur's shoulders. "As the Queen of Spades, I pass my power and title onto you, Arthur Kirkland. I welcome you to the Royal Family, and thus the Monarchy." She returned the sword to Yao, before lifting her silver crown, encrusted with diamonds, off her head, and placed it onto Arthur's.

The former King and Queen stood back, before Wang Yao called out, "To the new King and Queen of Spades!" Arthur and Alfred rose together, turning to face their people. The new King waved proudly, while Arthur remained reserved, a small smile on his face, before he turned to his family. They were all delighted, calling out congratulations to them; but Alistair gave him a cheeky wink, which Arthur couldn't help but return.

"Long live the King and Queen of Spades" continued to chorus through the room, as the two dashed down the aisle toward their reception party. Together; at long last.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Apologies that this story is up late, again! I'm cutting this chapter in half, as I feel it would be too long. The next chapter will be the reception, so meeting the other Monarchs and such, which will be great fun!

Thank you as always for your continued support, enjoy the chapter.

See you next week!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Eight: Monarch Meeting**

Soon after the ceremony, all the guests had gathered into the Reception Hall. The former King and Queen, George and Amelia, were sitting in a pair of silver thrones beside the two gold-plated thrones that they once sat upon. Their hands were entwined, as they observed the guests.

Wang Yao stood beside them, a proud look on his face. Once he was notified that everyone had entered the hall, he stepped forward, and called out to the guests. "People of Spades, Monarchs of our neighbouring Nations; please welcome the new King and Queen of Spades, Alfred and Arthur!"

Two Spadian guards pulled open the large doors, allowing Alfred and Arthur to step into the hall; they were met with cheers and cries of 'Long live the King and Queen' and 'Congratulations'.

Alfred gazed out at the people he now ruled over, grinning brightly as he waved to them, his arm entwined with Arthur's. The other blond held his head high, smiling courteously at the people around him. They made their way to their thrones, Alfred sitting down, and making himself comfortable in the new throne. However, Arthur stepped away from him momentarily, causing the King to raise an eyebrow in question.

"A-Arthur…? Where you goin'?" He spoke up, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

The new Queen stepped in front of Amelia, kneeling before her. The former Queen glanced down at him, recognising the next part of the scriptures. Arthur handed over the gold band of the veil, the net brushing against his fair skin, as he placed it into the other's hands. "Thank you for all your tuition, my Queen. I will do my best to continue on your great work, defend the power of your country, and preserve the happiness of your people." He smiled at her, delicately.

Amelia accepted the veil, wrapping the fragile net around the gold band to keep it tidy. She then got up, and asked for Arthur to stand, which he complied to. She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "I'm sure that you will do the Spade Kingdom, George and I, and, most importantly, Alfred proud. You'll be a wonderful Queen."

The green-eyed male blushed softly at the former Queen's kind words, nodding definitively in response, before returning to Alfred's side, taking a seat upon the throne that was now his.

Once the guests had settled down once more, Yao stepped forward. "Now for you to greet the Monarchies of the neighbouring Nations. First, Hearts Kingdom." Three figures, clad in red, stepped forward; Alfred recognised the tallest male, a stern blond with blue eyes, that was Gilbert's younger brother.

"I introduce to you, my King and Queen, Jack Feliciano Vargas, Queen Honda Kiku, and King Ludwig Beilschmidt of Hearts," Yao spoke authoritatively, bowing graciously before the other Monarchs. The Hearts Monarchy bowed before the new Spadian King and Queen.

Alfred and Arthur glanced to each member of Hearts, one after the other. Their eyes first locked onto the Jack, a short, seemingly bubbly, character. Feliciano's hair was a light brown, with an odd curl peeking out on the left side of his head, his eyes shone amber; a bright smile never seemed to leave his face. "A pleasure to meet you! I do hope we can be great friends, Your Royal Highnesses!"

"Feliciano. Remember your place; there may be comradery, but friendship is dangerous if something were to go wrong between our Nations," the blond King spoke up. His icy blue eyes met the Italian male's amber, causing him to go silent, the smile diminished, but never completely disappeared. The King turned to face the new Monarchs again, "Apologies for my Jack's behaviour, King Alfred."

"Hey, Ludwig. Relax, it's totally fine! Outside of politics, it'll be great to be friendly with one another, right?" Alfred grinned brightly, his sapphire eyes sparkling. However, the German male kept a stern look on his face, but nodded in understanding.

The Queen took his King's hand, causing Ludwig to glance down, Kiku's dark eyes silently pleaded for the other to remain calm. The King's blue eyes softened slightly, and he nodded to his Queen. "A pleasure to meet you, King Alfred, Queen Arthur." The Asian male bowed before the two as well, his face like a blank canvas. His eyes were dark, and held no obvious expression. The two Spadian Royals conversed with Hearts, before they stepped back.

Yao stood forward again, "I introduce the Monarchy of Diamond Kingdom. Jack Vash Zwingli, Queen Lili Zwingli, and King Francis Bonnefoy." Again, three figures stepped toward the thrones, bowing before the Spadian Royals, instead they were dressed in yellow and gold.

"Bonjour, Alfred," the King spoke up, his deep blue eyes shining with intrigue. "Nice to see you've settled down, after you complained so long about finding someone. Luckily, your _Reine_ appeared when he did, huh?" He chuckled heartily, his Adam's apple bobbing softly in his throat. He held his small Queen's hand, gently brushing his thumb against her knuckles.

Alfred laughed, "Yeah, it's really great that Arthur came into my life when he did, otherwise I'd have been forced to marry someone else." He reached over to his Queen, taking his hand in his own. The English male turned to look at his King, a soft smile on his face; though he tried to retain an authoritative stance in front of his people, and the other Monarchs.

Francis, and his Queen and Jack, stepped back from the thrones; Yao stepped forward one more time. "Finally, I introduce the Monarchy of Clubs Kingdom. Jack Roderich Edelstein, Queen Elizabeta Héderváry, and King Ivan Braginski." One more time, three figures approached the newly crowned King and Queen of Spades, clad in green. They knelt to the two, before standing up straight again. The Jack said nothing, whereas the Club Queen congratulated the two on their marriage.

However, the King simply stared at the Spadian Queen, his violet irises haunting with a sense of knowledge and understanding. "A pleasure to finally meet you Arthur, I've heard an awful lot about you through Roderich, and Elizabeta. How does it feel now to be Queen? Your family must be very proud?"

Arthur lifted his head, holding a stiff upper lip, "I am honoured to become Queen, and lucky that I shall spend the rest of my life beside Alfred. My family have said they are proud of me, but I shall miss them, now that I have moved into the palace." He glanced over at his family, standing nearby; he raised a hand, waving to them, to which they all responded back with a smile.

" _Da_ , I see. Well, I'm sure you will do a fine job of running the country. As long as you play by the rules set within your Scriptures? _Udachi_ , Arthur." The Russian male chuckled mischievously, before stepping away alongside his Queen, and Jack.

The Spadian Queen took a deep breath in through his nose, he would not let the other's words get to him. He would simply relax, and enjoy the rest of his day with his family, and Alfred.

* * *

The party was soon in full swing, people were dancing to the music played by the chamber orchestra. Couples were united together as they spun in circles across the dancefloor. Arthur could make out Alistair dancing with his mother, whilst Eire, Eoin, and Peter danced together in a three; the youngest chuckling brightly.

"Please excuse me one moment, Alfred," Arthur spoke up, his partner nodding in response. The Queen rose from his chair, and exited the room. Sadly, he was suffering from a small headache, although it was nothing serious, he just needed a moment to clear his head, and be away from the loud noise for a short while. He shut the door to the ballroom behind him, and he walked down the corridor, sitting in a chair along the wall. He tilted his head back, resting it against the wall, shutting his eyes in thought. However, his thoughts were soon interrupted by footsteps advancing toward him; he opened his eyes, expecting to see his partner walking to him, but he did not expect to see this particular person.

" _Dobryy vecher_ , Arthur," the Club King spoke up, his violet irises sparkling with intrigue. "How come you're out here all alone? Wouldn't you rather be in the hall dancing with Alfred, or your family?"

"Good evening, Ivan. I just needed a breather, today has been stressful for both of us. I just have a slight headache," he smiled softly, trying to act natural in front of the other male.

"Ah, well, there's one thing you must understand, Queen of Spades. I know who you are; I know your family history," Ivan spoke up, growling slightly. "Your family, the Kirklands, were a bunch of sorcerers and magicians. Your family moved to Spades, about one hundred years ago, after one of your family members, I believe your great-great grandfather, murdered the Ace of Clubs. We've held a grudge against your family since then. That's why magic was banned, despite your family trying to plead innocent, and your great-great grandfather being executed by the King of Clubs at the time."

Arthur's eyes had widened, sweat dripping from his brow. "H-how did you know my family history…?! You can't say anything! Wang Yao will kill me, and my family, without fail!"

He chuckled darkly, "I won't say anything… I'll just wait until your King finds out your disgraceful secret, and abandons you. It'll be more interesting." Ivan walked away, but not before looking back to the Queen over his shoulder, "If you want to be safe, I'll happy accept you into my Kingdom, since I lifted the ban off magic, if it was used for good. The only price you'll have to pay… is that you leave Alfred, and become _my_ Queen instead. Think about it… If you care about your family, and your own life…" He walked back into the ballroom.

The new Queen of Spades shivered slightly, burying his face into his hands. Soon after, he returned to the party, danced with his King, family, and Alfred's parents. He avoided the Club King's judgemental glare.

At the end of the night, once all the guests had disbanded, and Arthur's family had settled down in their rooms within the castle, Arthur and Alfred went to their room, for their first night together as a married couple.

The shorter blond changed into a pair of silken indigo pyjamas, climbing into bed, pulling the bedsheets around him. He focused his eyes on a book, flicking through the pages, while Alfred had a shower before bed.

Soon after, the blue-eyed male stepped out of the attaching bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, revealing his sun-kissed skin to his new partner. "Whew! What a busy day," Alfred breathed, running a towel over his wet hair, drying it carefully. Arthur glanced up to him, a smile on his face, as a chuckle escaped his throat.

"I agree with that statement," he set his book aside, leaning back against the plush pillows on the bed. Alfred was now dressed in navy blue pyjamas, as he climbed into bed beside his husband. He pressed a kiss to Arthur's cheek, lying down next to him. The green-eyed male reached over and turned off the lights in the room.

"C'mere, Arthur~" Alfred opened his arms to the other, which Arthur gladly accepted, curling into his arms. "I love you, Queen Arthur~"

"And, I love you, King Alfred~" Arthur laughed, knocking their foreheads together gently, before being pulled on top of the other. His face flushed pink, as Alfred dragged him down into a passionate kiss. Their bodies entwined; desperate to feel one another's skin after such a long time apart.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Apologies that this chapter was up late! Like I said in my update, on my profile, I was finishing off an assignment for university, that was due yesterday. All my work is now up to date; however, Lower Your Ghostly Sword, the first ending, will be uploaded tomorrow, hopefully in the morning if I can do it.

Hope you all enjoy the chapter, see you next week!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Nine: Family**

It had been a few months after the wedding and coronation, and Arthur and Alfred had been attending numerous meetings within the Spadian Court. Arthur was settling in well to his new way of life, though there had been occasions where he deeply missed his family back home in his old country house. His King comforted him the best he could, but made sure that Arthur could see his family at the bare minimum of once a month; Yao would not give him anything more than that, particularly in times of trouble.

Spades Kingdom was stable enough, but the agricultural power of Clubs was becoming overwhelming; threatening the profits made by Spadian farms, lowering the wealth of those in the lower classes. People were getting hungry, starving to death in the worst areas of Spades. The philosophy of their Kingdom had always remained the same: 'Give back to the poor the same value as they give to the rich.' This meant that the poor should be paid back the same value, in wages, of the crops they sell to the rich and the industry; 'Equality is the key to Spadian survival, let the poor and rich no longer be divided, as everyone will soon come to share the same level of wealth.'

This philosophy was a huge priority to the new King, as he wanted to let his people live in comfort everyday of their lives, and not worry about the future. Crop yield in Spades was at a stable level, however, Clubs was surging. As the Kingdom prosperous in agriculture, it had always been strongest in comparison to the others; but this was an unexpected spike in the crop yield that caused each Kingdom to question what had happened.

Soon, a meeting had been called between Hearts and Spades. Alfred needed to leave for private business with Ludwig, the King of Hearts. The Spadian King, still a boy at heart, frowned deeply as he read the urgent letter over and over; his sapphire eyes gleaming with a small layer of tears. He did not want to leave his Queen behind, despite being instructed to by Yao.

It is compulsory for each Monarchy to state who they will need at the meeting, should one be called. The addressed, whoever that may be, must attend. If the Queen, or Jack, are to attend, it must be stated to prevent Kingdoms being put at risk due to the rulers' absence. Usually, the King and Queen would attend meetings, and the Jack would take care of business until they return. However, there have been occasions where the Jack must attend, thus leaving the King or Queen behind. It is not often, but can occur.

Arthur and Alfred were sitting in their chamber; the former in bed with a book in his hand, while the other was getting ready for bed after a shower. The Queen held a soft smile on his face, as his mind was captivated by the words on the pages; his emerald eyes scrolling left to right as they took in every letter.

Noticing his partner's tranquillity, Alfred glanced up at him, as he dried his hair rigorously with a towel, grinning brightly. "You really enjoy books huh, Arthur?" In curiosity, the addressed looked up, a blush spreading across his pale cheeks.

"Y-Yes, I do enjoy reading. It's one of the greatest pleasures in life, I find," Arthur spoke up, smiling as he cradled the book close to his chest, as if it were the most precious item in his life. With that, Alfred chuckled, slipping on his glasses, and pushing them up onto the bridge of his nose, so he could see his Queen in finer detail.

"Even more pleasurable than 'that'?" The King quirked an eyebrow, sneaking in a wink, which rewarded him with a flustered Queen, who quickly used his book to conceal his face as he sank below the bedsheets, crying out Alfred's name, clearly embarrassed. He simply laughed, hopping onto the comfy bed beside Arthur, ruffling his hair playfully. "Hey, Artie! I was only kidding, y'know I was joking, right?"

Hesitantly, Arthur peeked up over the pages, his cheeks still dusted with a rosy pink; he nodded reluctantly, setting the novel aside after saving his place. "That joke was highly inappropriate for someone of your status, My King." He sat up, crossing his arms over his chest in mockery, raising a bushy eyebrow.

"Welp! It's what you're gonna' get from me I'm afraid, My Queen. I thought you'd be used to it by now~" He pouted moodily, lying down so his head was cradled in Arthur's lap. The King was met with a hand brushing through his hair, carefully threading through his locks.

"After only a few months? My dear, there is so much we still need to learn about each other, especially since we haven't had a lot of alone time to simply bond without needing to discuss business, and what our plans are for the Kingdom," Arthur spoke knowingly, a cheeky sparkle in his eyes; clearly there was some intention behind his emerald gaze.

Alfred quirked a brow, his youthful face lighting up with intrigue as he sat upright. Carefully, he straddled over his partner's hips, leaning in so their foreheads touched. Instinctively, their eyes shut as their lips met; both reminisced about their first kiss at the dance for Alfred's coming of age ball those few months ago. Arthur's lips curled into a smile, a brief chuckle leaving his throat. This caused Alfred to sit back slightly, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"Sorry, love. I… I was just thinking about our first kiss. It's amazing to think how far we've come since then… that's all," Arthur blushed softly, turning his gaze away. However, Alfred simply pulled the other male back into his embrace, and kissed him vigorously. This intensity made the emerald-eyed male gasp out into the other's mouth, sweet mutters of pleasure and love shared between them.

Arthur could suddenly feel clawing hands at his back, determined to remove the nightshirt from his slender frame. Willingly, he lifted him arms above his head, without breaking contact with Alfred's lips for as long as he could, as the soft shirt was pulled off, revealing milky white skin that contrasted greatly with the King's sun-kissed tan.

They couldn't hold back anymore; kisses gradually became more peppered yet deep, hands feverishly caressed each other's body, wanting more and more with every moment that went by.

* * *

The following morning, Arthur was still in a deep sleep beside his King, who glanced down at him with a certain fondness as he brushed his fingertips gingerly across the other's cheek. A knock at the door caused the Spadian King to glance up, a frown carving its way onto his lips. "I'll be out soon, Yao… I just want to say goodbye properly, okay?"

"Understood, but we must leave at the latest of ten o'clock precisely, My King," Yao spoke up, understanding the need for the King to say goodbye to his Queen. This was the first business trip that Alfred would be taking alone without Arthur by his side; it was evident that the Monarchs were nervous, but their Jack had been as comforting as he possibly could.

Glancing down to his resting Queen, Alfred sighed sadly, standing up to get ready for the long trip to Hearts that lay ahead of him. Once dressed in his finest, yet most comfortable attire, Alfred gazed at himself in the mirror; he really did look like a King. Despite having been in this position for so long, it had only begun to dawn on him that the Kingdom was really under his control, beside his Queen and Jack. A slight disturbance caused the golden-haired male to turn around, only to smile at seeing his Queen sitting upright, rubbing the sleep from his eyes; his hair even more messy than usual.

Their eyes met across the room, the early morning sunlight illuminating the colours of their irises. A certain sadness crossed Arthur's face, before he glanced down to his lap, twiddling his fingers.

"So… you must leave soon?" His voice was solemn, with a sense of worry. Arthur never liked being alone for long periods of time. Of course, he enjoyed his privacy, but after his father died there was always an anxiety about losing someone he truly loved. Arthur was never a very openly emotional man, but Alfred could now read him like a book, understanding his worries or fears with only a mere furrow of his brow, or slight quirk of his lip.

The Spadian King walked over to his Queen, sitting beside him, cupping his cheek with a hand; instantaneously Arthur cupped his hands around it, as if he never wanted Alfred to let go. "I'll be back soon, my Queen. There's no need to worry, I'll be back in a week~" The golden-haired male grinned brightly, trying to make his Queen feel better. Arthur glanced up to meet Alfred's gaze, a small smile finding its way onto his lips; the other's smile was infectious.

"I'll miss you, my King. Take care of yourself, alright?" Arthur spoke, brushing the back of his fingers against the other's cheek. The other turned his head slightly, and pressed a kiss to the palm of his Queen's hand.

"No worries, I'll send a letter when I'm all done with business," Alfred smiled.

Their solemn farewell was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Yao, enquiring if the King was ready to go. Alfred responded; saying he would be out in a few minutes, before hearing Yao confirm his order and heading back down to the hall.

"Well… I need to go now. I'll see you soon~" The King grinned, kissing Arthur's forehead tenderly. "Go back to sleep. You look exhausted, my Queen."

"Are you sure?" Arthur questioned. "I feel that I should see you off properly…"

"It's fine, rest. That's more important right now. I'll write to you when I get to Hearts; let ya' know I'm safe." He then got up from the bed and advanced to the door. "Farewell, Arthur. I love ya'~" He winked cheekily, before leaving the room, shutting the door calmly behind him.

"Goodbye, my King. I love you too." Arthur mumbled to himself, chuckling, before settling down again, sinking into the bedsheets. His senses were embraced with the lingering scent of his husband, easing him into sleep, despite his aching heart.

* * *

Not long after, Arthur felt discomfort within his stomach. Was it because he missed Alfred? No, it couldn't be. His pondering was cut short as a sharp pain ripped through his abdomen, making him get up and dash to the bathroom, where he was sick. He collapsed by the bowl and panted, spitting fluid into the water.

Elizabeth knocked on the ensuite door, asking if Arthur was alright. He answered back saying he was, but then groaned out loud as some more pain coursed through his body. The maid, without question, stepped into the room and assisted the Queen. She rubbed small circles into his back, as he dispelled the last of his sickness; but one question laid on both of their minds: what had made him so ill?

After helping Arthur back into bed, Elizabeth went to call the doctor. The Queen lay back, trying to calm himself after his spell. He gazed up at the ceiling, his eyes following the treads and lines that interweaved with one another in an attempt to forget the dull ache in his torso.

His trance was interrupted by a knock at the door. After calling the guest in, the door opened, revealing Elizabeth accompanied by a man with a white coat and a stethoscope hanging around his neck. "My Queen, this is Doctor Ramhart. He's come to perform a check-up, and to diagnose the cause of your sickness."

Carefully, the doctor approached the Queen, stretching out a hand to shake Arthur's. "Greetings, my Queen. Now, describe what the issue is to me in as much detail as possible, if you please?"

Arthur hummed to himself in thought, before responding. "It… came out of nowhere. I was fine, but then this pain, a quite sharp pain, occurred in my stomach. It gradually got cause, causing me to convulse. But, I still feel quite ill, despite the outburst." He glanced up to the doctor, who was fiddling with his whitening moustache, trying to process the information.

"Now. If you don't mind my saying-so… This sounds awfully similar. But, to confirm my suspicions, I will need a urine sample. I can test it quite quickly; you will not have to wait long." Ramhart spoke up, smiling softly. He opened his briefcase, and pulled out a small vial, handing it to the Queen.

The blond hesitantly took it, twirling and examining it in his fingers. He then got up and advanced to the bathroom. A few moments later, he returned and handed it to the doctor, who took the vial and began to analyse it with a few small tools and tests.

Arthur waited patiently, alongside Elizabeth, yet he truly wanted to know the answer. He twiddled his fingers; flexing and unflexing them, linking and unlinking them. Soon, the doctor adjusted his glasses and glanced up at Arthur.

"Well… I am very happy to announce, Your Majesty, that my suspicions have been confirmed." A sincere smile crossed the Doctor's lips. "Congratulations, you are with child."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

I am back! Finally!

So so sorry that this took so long to update. Uni work was killing me, and then I had super bad writer's block for ages. But never mind, I am here with the next chapter of Finding His Queen! I hope to get back onto my regular schedule with this story, and eventually get the two-part finales of Lower Your Ghostly Sword uploaded as well soon.

However, I hope you enjoy the chapter; welcome back to the story!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Ten: Delight**

"Congratulations, you are with child."

Elizabeth gasped out in excitement, covering her face with her hands; though she could not completely conceal the beaming smile beneath her aging hands. "Dr. Ramhart! This is wonderful! An heir to the throne so soon! I must tell my Lord and Lady immediately." She glanced down to Arthur, "My Queen, isn't this won-". Her outburst was cut short as she noticed the Spadian Queen's face had drained; he was paler than usual.

At first, Elizabeth was afraid the male would be sick again, but then she noticed his pupils had shrunk, and his lips were parted. His breathing was staggered, and his hands trembled.

"T-That can't be right… I-I know it is possible for male Queens to bear children, but… I was told long ago I was infertile." He brought a hand up to his face, resting it over his forehead; his fingers curled, causing his nails to dig into his pale skin. "Mother… had said that to me…" Arthur's emerald eyes welled with tears; his mother lied to him?

The maid placed a comforting hand on the male's shoulder, making Arthur jump. "M-Maybe she didn't want to worry you? She must have known you were the Queen-to-be, and was afraid of you having a child that would soon rule the Kingdom upon your passing. Especially, the biological limitations there are for male Queens to bear."

Arthur simply gazed up at Elizabeth, eyes twinkling, while tears streamed down his face. "She should have told me… I knew I was Queen, because of the birthmark on my hand, but she should have told me about that." He glanced back down to his lap, frowning deeply.

"I'll return in a few weeks, My Queen… unless you need me prior to our next engagement," Dr. Ramhart spoke up, startling Arthur again. "You'd best let the King know, I'm sure he will be delighted."

Elizabeth escorted the Doctor out of the room, looking over her shoulder to see Arthur curl into himself out of nerves and fear for his body. She frowned slightly, before shutting the door quietly behind her.

"It is evident that the Queen is distressed, but I'm sure once he tells the King that they are expecting an Heir, Alfred will be very excited. I just remember when his little brother, Matthew, was born. The light in Alfred's eyes seemed to glow at the prospect of having a sibling." The Doctor spoke aloud, his face solemn with sympathy for Arthur, but a certain look of reminiscence remained on his delicate features. "Even with the young Prince in Diamonds Kingdom at this moment, developing relations with their Monarchy, Alfred deeply misses his brother."

The old maid smiled softly, remembering when Queen Amelia had told Alfred she was pregnant with Matthew. That little boy smiled for hours, and never left his mother's side, even during her labour; despite King George advising Alfred to leave the room. The delivery for Matthew was difficult; that made Alfred worry at the time that his mother was in excruciating pain, even though he was only three at the time.

"The King is a very brave soul, I'm sure that he will assist in Arthur's delivery when the time comes," Elizabeth spoke up, just before the Doctor left the palace. Dr. Ramhart turned to face her, taking her hand.

"Dear Elizabeth, I've known you for as long as I have worked under the Royal Family as their Doctor. I know that you will assist the new King and Queen through this frightening, yet exciting, time," his grey eyes smiled at the woman, his thumb running over her knuckles. "If they need any assistance, don't hesitate to call on me."

Elizabeth smiled gratefully, curtsying to him, "Thank you, Alexander."

With that, he let go and walked down the steps to his carriage. The venerable woman watched the doctor go, before heading back inside to continue her chores; though first, she decided to go and check on the Queen.

Arthur was sat on the indigo ottoman by the window in his bedroom, his legs pulled up to his chest, but a hand rested on his flat stomach. His hands were still shaking, but a slight smile had risen on his face. The colour had returned to his face, and a certain glimmer settled in his eyes. He leant his head back against the wall, gazing out the window to his Kingdom.

"Pardon me, My Queen," Elizabeth spoke, stepping into the room. Arthur turned his head to face her; he seemed a lot better. "I thought you would like to write a letter to Alfred, to let him know of your expected child?"

The blond male set his feet down on the floor, facing the maid completely, "That sounds like the best idea. As frightening as it was, I'm… actually very excited to have this child. It'll be nice to have a family, let alone a new Heir to the throne." He returned his hand to his stomach, his thumb making small circles over the cloth.

Elizabeth walked over, sitting beside Arthur gracefully. "The King will be very happy, as will his parents; I'm sure your mother and family will be excited as well." She set a hand on the male's shoulder, startling him slightly, but he glanced over to her. "I remember the day you two met at the ball. Alfred would not stop rambling about you, your eyes and your smile."

Arthur blushed brightly, chuckling softly. "Who'd have thought that we'd end up here? Married, crowned, and now starting a family?"

"I certainly did." Those words made Arthur blush even more, as he focused his emerald gaze on Elizabeth's bluish-grey. "The way Alfred spoke of you made me believe that there could be a future between you two. I'm just so proud of him, to find the person he loved, despite having no interest to find someone at that time."

Tears began to gather in Elizabeth's eyes; she carefully tapped the tip of her ring finger under her eyes, collecting the few drops that had spilt over. Arthur frowned softly, and squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Thank you for all your help over these last few months, Elizabeth. You've helped me settle into royal life better than I ever thought I would." The Spadian Queen smiled reassuringly. Elizabeth returned the smile and squeezed the other's hand back.

Later that day, Arthur was pacing up and down his office; Elizabeth was sitting at the desk with a quill in her hand. They were orchestrating a letter to send to Alfred about the news, but Arthur was struggling to figure out how to write it.

"In a way, I don't want to explicitly say that we're expecting, but then I'm afraid he wouldn't understand my 'riddles' as he calls them," Arthur chuckled, turning to Elizabeth. The maid noted some ideas down, offering the paper to her Queen; he read it carefully, and smiled. "Thank you, Elizabeth, that's perfect."

* * *

A few days later, there was a meeting in Hearts between Alfred and, King of Hearts, Ludwig Beilschmidt. The latter was a tall, built blond male with sky blue eyes and pale skin. He was dressed in a copper-tone button shirt, with a golden sash, as well as a large red coat on his shoulders with black fur around the collar.

They were sat in the King of Hearts' office, at a desk with numerous files of paperwork sitting on top. The two Monarchs sat on opposite sides of the table, discussing potential trade opportunities between both nations. It was a very civilised conversation; no disagreements that caused a raucous, just simple talk to solve any problems quickly.

Soon, a knock on the door sounded. Ludwig called to the door, saying that they could come in.

In chimed a small male with brown hair and amber irises, he was garbed in red as well, with a red cap on his head, a brown tunic with a crimson bolero on his shoulders. "Pardon me, Your Majesties, but I have something to give to King Alfred." The male spoke with a high-pitched, lilting voice; perhaps Italian?

"It is not a problem, Feliciano. We're almost finished here anyway." The German King spoke up, his piercing blue eyes softening slightly at the presence of his Jack, Feliciano Vargas.

The Italian stepped toward the table, bowing before the two Royals, and offering a letter to the Spadian King who took it with a smile. Feliciano bowed once more, before skipping out of the room again, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Your Jack truly is a wonderful person, so smiley and happy all the time! If only Wang Yao could be like that," Alfred joked, fiddling with the envelope in an attempt to open it; he recognised Arthur's handwriting on the front, and the Spadian crest in indigo ink on the back.

"Believe me when I say it, I enjoy having Feliciano around, however, he can be quite a handful," Ludwig sighed softly, despite the small smile never leaving his face.

Alfred chuckled softly, "Yeah, I could see why that could get a little hard to handle, sometimes. But, hey it's still a good thing to have someone so – Oh my god!" He pushed up his glasses onto the bridge of his nose, and brought the page close to his face.

The Heart King glanced up out of curiosity. "Alfred, is everything alright? You seem quite startled?"

But, Alfred wasn't listening, he brought the age down from his face, and smiled slightly. "Holy crap… I… I'm gonna' be a dad." He gasped at saying that out loud, before looking up at the other Royal, "I'm gonna be a dad?! What the actual frick?!" He laughed slightly, before getting up, and walking over to the window, looking out over Hearts in the direction of Spades. "I'm gonna' be a dad!"

Ludwig chuckled, "Alfred, come sit. Calm yourself. I'm sure Arthur wouldn't want you running around the streets like a madman." He understood the other's excitement, his Queen, Honda Kiku, was in his second trimester of pregnancy; he remembered finding out the other was pregnant very vividly. It was a very exciting time.

Alfred sheepishly sat down again, blushing softly. "L-Let's get back to work for now. I'll probably go home tonight, if that's okay. I-I mean if we're all done with business of course!"

"I completely understand, Alfred. We should be done within the next few hours maximum," the German spoke, smiling. "Then you can return home."

"Thanks dude, I… I really appreciate it," Alfred grinned greatly, he was now even more excited to go home and see Arthur again; they would have an heir to the throne. They had not been planning on having a baby so soon, but Alfred did not mind. He simply wanted the meeting to end, watching the minutes tick by.

* * *

Arthur's morning sickness had gradually begun to get better, he may have felt queasy or unsettled in the morning, but he wasn't vomiting as much as he had been; much to his relief. The colour had began to return to his face, maybe out of happiness that Alfred would be home in a few more days.

Elizabeth had been an angel in assisting Arthur with getting dressed and bathing when in pain due to his pregnancy, it took a greater toll on a male when they were with child; science never really knew why, but it may have been down to physique. A woman's body has ability to give birth a lot easier than that of a man's, due to wider hips; as one theory states.

The blond male was sitting in his office attempting to work for the first time in a few days, when he heard heavy footsteps in the hallway. He glanced up out of curiosity at the approaching sound, before gasping as someone burst through the door; his eyes widened. Was it…?

"Arthur! Holy crap, I'm so glad to see you again! It's been too long!" The over-excited American King grasped onto Arthur excitedly, hugging him tightly and peppering kisses all over the other's cheeks.

"A-Alfred, what are you doing back so soon? Weren't you meant to be in Hearts for another two days at least?!" Arthur cried out, trying to squirm out of the King's hold.

"When I got your letter, I wanted to come back as soon as I could! Luckily, we finished fairly soon after I got your letter! So, I left that night, and now I'm here!" Alfred grinned, his blue eyes bright. He took Arthur's hand and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I missed you so much, Arthur! And now, we're expecting a baby together, it's truly incredible! I'm just so happy to be back alongside you during this really exciting time!"

Arthur blushed softly, but settled into the embrace, curling up against the other. "I… I missed you too, Alfred. I was very nervous at first about having this child, but… everything will be okay!" He smiled subtly, dotting some kisses to the other's cheek.

The two sat together for a little while, curled up until it was close to the end of the day, when Alfred scooped his Queen into his arms and walked back to their bedroom. He set the other down, before pressing a kiss to his flat stomach, and laying beside him. They lay there for a little while, before falling asleep. Much to their delight, they were with child; having an heir who would soon take their throne.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_ ** Woohoo, I'm finally back! I managed to write the rest of this chapter today, I know you've been waiting quite a long time for this update! However, I should be back now...hopefully. If not, blame university! Anyways, enjoy this chapter, see you very soon!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Eleven: An Heir**

Six months later, Arthur and Alfred were hurriedly discussing plans for their child's christening; despite them not being due to be born for at least another ten weeks. The Queen's once flat, slim physique had swollen considerably as their baby continued to grow.

Dr. Ramhart had returned monthly to check on their progress; gladly informing the new parents-to-be, that their child was doing well. They were the size expected, if not slightly bigger than babies at this stage in development. There had been teasing of the King as Elizabeth mentioned that their child had taken after Alfred already, leading Arthur to constantly tease his husband, causing him to blush.

As much as Arthur wished to do physical work, like tend to the flowers in the gardens or assist in making dinner preparations, Alfred and the former King and Queen blatantly refused to prevent Arthur from overexerting himself. Due to unknown biological complications from expecting male Queens, they wanted to protect Arthur at all costs, to prevent a potentially difficult delivery. The blond male scowled at being told he could not do physical work but had settled into planning out their baby's christening quite happily; allowing him to relish in the time he could spend with his baby.

"So, we'll decorate the cathedral with white roses and lilies, combined with small bunches of fern. We'll tie navy blue ribbons to the ends of the pews and around the altar, in celebration of Spadian tradition. Our child shall wear white, as expected, while I think we should wear contrasting blues and indigo? I'm leaving that up to your mother and Elizabeth to decide; but what do you think?" Arthur's face was beaming as he explained his hard thought plans to Alfred, who seemed completely dumbfounded at all the effort and attention to detail that had been put into their baby's eventual christening.

"U-Um… t-that all sounds great! But, don't you think lilies may be a little overkill? Roses and fern may be enough?" Alfred raised an eyebrow, not sure why he mentioned that; the plans all seemed perfect.

"I wanted to incorporate something precious to _our_ mothers, roses being your mother's favourite flower, and lilies being my mother's. So, even if it may seem like overkill, that is what I have decided." He set his quill down onto the desk, crossing his arms over his chest, smirking.

Alfred could not argue with his husband's decision at that point, sighing softly, before smiling brightly. "Well, if that is what you want, then I'm sure we can provide." He pressed a kiss to Arthur's forehead, eliciting a soft hum from the other, before kneeling beside him and resting his head on the ever-growing baby bump. Arthur chuckled sweetly, carding his fingers through Alfred's golden hair.

"Do you think this little one will take more after you than I?" Arthur questioned, truly interested to hear Alfred's opinion. It almost appeared that the King was not listening as he smoothed small circles into the other's belly. His eyes were shut, simply focusing on the gentle sounds and touches of their baby moving. "Alfred?"

"Hmm?" He responds nonchalantly.

"You weren't listening, were you?" Arthur rolled his eyes, but never stopped brushing his fingers through Alfred's hair.

"I was… but I was just lost in thought," pressing a kiss to the bump, he got up and pulled a chair around the desk to sit beside his Queen, taking his hand. "I'm not really sure who they'll take after… not that it really matters I guess? They're _our_ baby, not just mine or just yours; ours. So, even if they don't look like or act like one of us, does not mean that they are not our child. That won't change the fact that they are our baby, our Heir to the Spadian throne, right?" Alfred's eyes sparkled with eternal youth, a bright smile on his lips; leaving Arthur speechless after his words, before he leant forward to kiss Alfred's cheek delicately.

"You're right…They will be special, no matter who they take after…" Arthur rested his free hand over the bump. But, quickly glanced up as he could Alfred giggling.

"Well, it'll be awesome if they took after me! They'd look incredible and have a voice to possibly contest with mine!" Alfred guffawed brightly, making Arthur cringe ever so slightly; but soon they both started laughing. Until, Arthur jumped, gripping his bump. "A-Arthur? W-What's the matter?"

"I-I don't know… I just felt a sharp pain here…?" He rested his hand as to signify where he had felt the pain. Hesitantly, Alfred reached forward placing a hand over his Queen's and reacting as he felt something.

"I don't think it's dangerous Artie… It's just our baby letting us know they're here," he chuckled, moving his hand elsewhere on the bump and smiling as the baby lightly tapped against his palm.

Relieved, Arthur relaxed back into his chair, simply adoring the way his King was attempting to bond with their unborn child. It did not take long for Arthur to begin yawning; he had not noticed how tired he had gotten from all this planning.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed, my Queen," Alfred grinned, getting up while lifting Arthur bridal style; much to his disputes, he was honestly too exhausted to fight back, and so he curled into his husband's hold, resting his head on his shoulder.

Arthur's senses were dulled as he grew drowsy, he could feel himself beginning to slip into a pleasant slumber; barely recognising Alfred changing him into his nightclothes and setting him into their cosy bed. Before completely passing out, he felt a soft kiss to his forehead, and the gentle hands on his growing bump.

"Your mom's doing their best to protect and prepare for you, little one… I know you won't be able to really show your gratitude and thanks to him for a few years, but know that everything your mom does, he does it for you…" He felt Alfred lean over to press a kiss to the bump, the baby responding with a light kick, and a final kiss to his cheek before going to change. A pleasant smile crossed Arthur's lips as he finally fell asleep.

* * *

Around eight weeks later, Arthur woke up with a start, a sudden nausea weighing over him. He sat up carefully, as to not wake his King who was currently clinging to him. Getting to his feet, he stumbled toward their ensuite bathroom, but he gasped out in pain as he crumpled to the floor in agony; using the wall to support himself, so he did not have a harsh fall and risk injuring himself or his unborn child.

Leaning back, he clutched at his nightshirt, panting softly as he cringed in pain. He pressed his hands back against the wall, in attempt to push himself up on his feet, to at least get into the bathroom. However, Arthur could barely get to his feet before the sharp cascading pain returned through his abdomen and stomach. He winced before crying out; he could not hold back his cries of pain anymore.

Despite his sweating brow and gritted teeth, he could hear a presence shuffling toward him; opening his eyes, he noticed a familiar sapphire gaze glancing at him. It was Alfred, he looked worried and seemed to be saying something, but Arthur could not hear him over the pain.

Alfred continued to try and catch Arthur's attention, but all he could see was the agony in his partner's face. He got up, attempting to pull Arthur up along with him, holding him by his waist to steady him. Walking his partner over to their bed, he lay Arthur on his back, squeezing his hand in reassurance. "I-I'll go and get Lizzie; will you be okay for a minute?"

Arthur could not even respond to his partner, before wincing again, curling into himself and gritting his teeth. The Spadian King simply dashed out of the room, toward the maid's quarters, knocking desperately on the door; only a moment later, Elizabeth opened the door with an indigo silk night-robe wrapped around herself.

"M-My King? W-What on earth are you doing up at this time?" She spoke, blinking the sleep out of her blue eyes. Her features were soft in the dim moonlight shining through the windows. "Alfred?"

"I-It's Artie! Call Dr. Ramhart immediately, then come to my chamber… A-Arthur's going into labour! He's early Lizzie, what do I do?" Alfred's eyes were clouded with panic, his sun-kissed skin pale and beaded with sweat.

Elizabeth nodded, "Get back to Arthur's side, I'll request for Dr. Ramhart immediately. I won't be long, keep Arthur as relaxed as possible to prevent problems for the delivery."

Alfred wasted no time, he dashed back to his chamber; Arthur had not moved from his spot, his hands turning white from how tightly he was clutching the bedsheets in his agony. Running into the bathroom, the Spadian King rinsed a fresh face cloth under the cold taps before bringing it out to Arthur, patting his warm face gently to cool him down. "A-Artie… Lizzie's coming to help us…Dr. Ramhart should be here soon… E-Everything will be alright…" He frowned at seeing his Queen in pain, taking his hand, and allowing Arthur to squeeze it tight as he fell victim to another harsh contraction.

Soon the door opened without hesitation, Elizabeth and younger maid, Lucy, stepped through with blankets, and fresh clothes for the new baby. "Alfred, we need to sit Arthur up a little more, can you assist please?"

Alfred nodded, embracing his partner gently and cradling his head with a hand while sitting him slightly more upright. The Queen whimpered at being moved but sighed in relief as the pain began to calm for a few moments.

"Alfie… I-I'm so frightened… Our baby's not meant to be due for almost another month…!" Arthur wept, his emerald eyes sparkling with tears; his already pale skin now appearing completely white. "I don't know what to do… what if something's wrong?"

"Now, Arthur… Nothing's wrong. You must try and relax, if you begin to stress yourself it can pass onto the baby and make this delivery more difficult than it already is. Hold onto your King… Lucy and I will handle the rest until Dr. Ramhart returns, alright?" Elizabeth's voice was music to Arthur's ears, and he nodded in response, attempting to calm himself down before reaching out for Alfred who was sitting next to him.

Alfred took Arthur's hand definitively, holding onto it tightly and kissing his knuckles. "You'll be alright Artie… I promise…" Arthur could feel Alfred's hand trembling in his, he squeezed it a little tighter, but he was soon cried out as pain ripped through his abdomen again.

It took almost another eight hours for Arthur to be ready to deliver, he was exhausted, sweat and tears staining his pale skin and his body racked with agony. The Queen was running out of time, or he would be in even more pain and in need of surgery. Elizabeth had delivered Alfred and Matthew in the past, so she knew what to do; thankfully Dr. Ramhart was now there to assist.

Arthur cried out as he began to push, gripping Alfred's hand with all his might, causing the latter to cringe slightly. His face tinged red as he continued to do as Elizabeth told him, before sitting back and taking deep breathes. However, a few seconds later he was doing it all over again.

Everyone had lost total track of time now, only beginning to notice the sun truly brightening the Spadian Kingdom sky; it was a wonderful day for the Kingdom should all go well here. Despite Arthur being in pain, and Alfred worrying so much for his partner and baby's health, they knew that the Kingdom would rejoice in the birth of their child. Time ticked on, Arthur felt like it was never going to end.

His eyes opened wide as the pain began to cease and he heard grizzled cries and wails; tears continued to fall down his face but now they had turned to joy, he smiled tiredly as he was enveloped in Alfred's embrace.

"A-Alfie… they're here? They're alright?" Arthur whimpered as they pulled away from each other. Alfred looked over his shoulder to where Elizabeth and Lucy were cleaning the child, and smiled brightly, tears in his eyes.

"Yeah, Artie… they're okay," relief was evident in his voice, he glanced down to Arthur and kissed him deeply. "I'm so proud of you…"

Their moment was interrupted, quite happily, as Lucy stepped over with a bundle of blankets and cloth, the small weeping baby wrapped up tightly inside. "It's a boy, Your Majesties…" She spoke up as she set the child into Arthur's outstretched arms, before curtsying and stepping away to allow them space.

Arthur sat up a little more, holding his new-born boy close to his chest, brushing a fingertip over his chubby cheeks and nose. "Lizzie was right… he definitely takes after you Alfred…" He teased, glancing up to his King. Alfred simply chuckled and held his husband and child close; but he could sense Arthur beginning to drift off.

"Artie… lemme' take him. You need to rest after all that…" He smiled, offering his arms out to take the boy. "What shall we name him?"

The Queen tenderly handed the baby over to Alfred, smiling at seeing him rock the bundle gently upon receiving it. "I think… we should name him Edward… Edward Joseph Kirkland-Jones…"

Alfred grinned brightly, "I love it… do you Edward?" The baby babbled in response, making everyone in the room chuckle. "Lizzie, Lucy… thank you so much for helping Arthur all night. We couldn't have done this without you…"

Elizabeth and Lucy curtsied, "It was our pleasure, Your Majesties. Congratulations. We'll inform your parents and try to let your have privacy until Arthur recovers. You should rest too, Alfred… you were up all night as well."

The King laughed, "Yeah, I'll rest soon. I'll stay here with Arthur and Edward, keep them safe until I sleep." He sat beside Arthur, who immediately leant against him tiredly, and brushed his fingers through his blond hair. "They're my family… I have _my_ family…" He began to cry again, drying his face with his hand. "You're dismissed now… thank you all…"

The two maids and Dr. Ramhart left, shutting the door quietly behind them, leaving the King, Queen and new Prince of Spades to be alone. Alfred carefully lifted the blankets swaddling Edward and smiled softly at seeing the faint King's crest spread across his chest. He kissed the baby's forehead softly, holding him tight to his own chest, before leaning down to kiss the top of Arthur's head, as he had already fallen asleep.

The new Prince was born, and the Kingdom began to rejoice. Amelia would not stop hopping with excitement, but for that day, everyone allowed the King and Queen to spend the time they needed with their new baby boy.

* * *

 **Author's note:** Hello everyone! I'm so so sorry for this to take forever in being published. I hope you can forgive me, uni and orchestral work has been insane the past few months. However, here we are, finally a new chapter of this story! Hope you all enjoy! ~aphshan31 xx


End file.
